Wild Turkey tells us that have put a unique take on three of the most iconic whiskey cocktails–the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned and the Whiskey Sour–to commemorate National Bourbon Heritage Month. Wild Turkey Bourbon, at 101 proof, delivers a deeper, richer flavor that fits perfectly with these cocktails below. Each cocktail evokes the perfectly balanced profile that has made these drinks real classics, while tweaking them to surprise even a seasoned cocktail enthusiast.

The Manhattan 101

Ingredients:

1 3/4 ounces Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/3 ounce dry vermouth
1/3 ounce sweet vermouth
1 thin slice fresh ginger
3 mint leaves
1/2 tsp powdered sugar
Dash aromatic bitters

Muddle ginger, mint, powdered sugar and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add Wild Turkey Bourbon, vermouth and ice. Shake and strain into a chilled glass.

The Old Fashioned 101

Ingredients:

1 1/3 ounce Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 ounce apple cider
3 sage leaves
1 pinch of saffron
1 tsp brown sugar
2 orange twists
1 tsp orange zest
1 fresh cherry
1 ounce Amaretto

Slice cherry from top to bottom five times around pit, and soak in a cup of Amaretto. Muddle cider, sage, saffron, brown sugar, orange twists and zest together in glass. Add Wild Turkey Bourbon and stir. Strain and serve over ice, garnish with Amaretto-soaked cherry.

The Whiskey Sour 101

Ingredients:

1 1/2 ounces Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 ounce honey
1 fresh cherry
1 ounce Wild Turkey American Honey
Dollop of egg white

Slice cherry from top to bottom five times around pit, and soak in a cup of Wild Turkey American Honey. Combine Wild Turkey Bourbon, grapefruit juice, lime juice and honey in a cocktail shaker. Froth egg white and add a dollop to the mixture. Shake and serve over ice. Garnish with Wild Turkey American Honey-soaked cherry.

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. Wild Turkey American Honey Recipes For Summer and More from Wild Turkey Bourbon
2. Bourbon Cocktails from Peninsula Grill, Planters Inn, Charleston, South Carolina
3. Wild Turkey Releases Limited Edition Wild Turkey “Tradition” Bourbon

Ingredients:

Chopped Peaches (about three chunks)
2 slices of lemon
fresh mint
dash of simple syrup
1 and 1/4 oz. Maker’s Mark Bourbon

Instructions:

Shake very hard. Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a sprig of mint.

This recipe was originally created to celebrated Maker’s Mark’s 50th Anniversary in 2004. Maker’s Mark sent this recipe to Maker’s Mark Ambassadors in February of 2004 along with a copy of a proclamation from Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher declaring February 12, 2004 as Maker’s Mark Day. On February 26, 1954 the first batch of Maker’s Mark was hand crafted by Bill Samuels, Sr. at what is now known as the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Bill Samuels Jr., President of Maker’s Mark, shares the story of Maker’s Mark and its heritage in this two part BourbonBlog.com episode, recorded at his office in the distillery.

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1. Junk Food Cocktails by Stephen Dennison
2. .Maker’s Mark Holiday Candlelight Tours
3. New Maker’s Mark Master Distiller Kevin Smith in his first TV interview as Master Distiller

Mis-en-place:

¼ lb Smoking wood of choice, in a heat-resistant plate.
Brulee torch
Cocktail or Coupe Glass

Use torch to smoke wood. Invert glass over smoke, for 3-5 seconds. Glass storage lasts for 15 minutes at most.

In a tin:

2 oz. Maker’s 46
½ tsp Dumante Pistachio liqueur
Ice

Shake well. Strain into primed glass. Rim glass with cinnamon stick. Serve without the stick, au naturel.

For maximum effect, use only the cleanest ice one can find as a poor product will mask the flavor profile.
Recipe and article by BourbonBlog.com‘s Mixologist and Beverage Consultant Stephen Dennison

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. 5 Point Woodford Manhattan by Eric Dentinger of Jack’s Lounge, Louisville
2. Bourbon Ball by Woodford Reserve
3. Smoky Reserve Manhattan by John Mcginty

This stuff has traditionally been released to select states, yet it’s a prominent part of the culinary landscape in these places. Now, you can actually order Big Red from their website from where you live.  I personally was bottle fed this soda- red, yet not a crème. It is simply described as “Red,” to be truthful.

Next, we will show a familiar recipe that illustrates the use of a soda simple syrup in a culinary role. This will be based in part upon our last two articles from the Maker’s 46 series including our Blueberry/Coca-Cola Infusion and Maker’s and Coke Reengineered. We hope that you enjoy the technique and will enjoy using it with some of your own local soda selections.

For the Syrup:

1 part Big Red or local soda variation
1 part Sugar

Bring Soda to a boil. Add sugar and dissolve. Let sit to room temperature. Store refrigerated, up to two weeks. Combine:

1 part Soda Syrup
1 part water
1 part white vinegar

Warm till just below simmer.

Add: 1 medium onion, yellow, sliced.

Cover.

Let sit overnight. Serve.

Recipe and article by BourbonBlog.com‘s Chef/Mixlogist Stephen Dennison

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. Bourbon and Champagne Cocktail Recipe
2. Maker’s and Coke Reengineered
3. Chocolate Mint Julep Cookie Recipe from Maker’s Mark Distillery’s Toll Gate Cafe

For the syrup:

1 part Coca-cola
1 part Sugar

Bring Coke to a simmer, dissolve sugar. Allow to rest until at room temperature. Store, refrigerated, 2 weeks.

1 lb Blueberries, picked
1.75 L Vodka (we used Vikingfjord Vodka or Tito’s Handmade Vodka)

Empty the vodka out of the bottle until it is at 70% capacity, visual measurement. Add blueberries. Fill with simple syrup. Let sit for 5 days and serve.

- Article and recipe by BourbonBlog.com‘s Mixologist/Beverage Consultant Stephen Dennison

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. “Big Red” Onions Recipe
2. Maker’s and Coke Reengineered
3. Derby Party Strawberry Lavender Punch

The soda simple syrup technique was originally designed as a preservation technique for uncommon sodas like root beer, orange or grape. Items not normally found on the bar gun, cans that would be too cumbersome to store behind the bar and whose proportions would inevitably lead to waste (as you would only use ½ of the opened can.) I recommend taking liberties and exploring the technique. You simply are losing the bubbles, adding a nuance of carbonic acid, and preserving the flavor for multiple uses.


For the syrup:

1 part Coca-Cola
1 part Sugar

Bring Coke to a simmer in a small pot. Add sugar and dissolve. Allow to come to
room temperature before storing, refrigerated.

For the Cocktail:

2 oz. Maker’s 46
¼ oz. Syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Twist of Lemon, to garnish

Place all in mixing tin with ice. Shake for 10 seconds after frost forms outside
tin. Serve up, in a cocktail glass. Lemon twist, to garnish.

Article and recipe by BourbonBlog.com‘s Mixologist Stephen Dennison

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. Blueberry/Coca-Cola Infusion
2. “Big Red” Onions Recipe
3. Bourbon and Champagne Cocktail Recipe

All Star Julep Recipe

Ingredients:

40ml Buffalo Trace Bourbon
15ml Crème de apricot
25ml of Cranberry
8 Mint Leaves
10ml Raspberry Puree
1 Lemon Wedge

Instructions:

In a julep tin build and stir the following with crushed ice . Garnish with a mint sprig and a raspberry.

They do plenty with Bourbon and Bourbon recipes at All Star Lanes. Visit www.allstarlanes.co.uk for more on eating, drinking and bowling in London.

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. The Pin – from All Star Lanes, London, England
2. All Star Lanes – Holborn, Bayswater and Bricklane, London England
3. Bourbon and Bowling in London, England

Ingredients:

80ml of Maker’s Mark Bourbon
20ml Benedictine
10ml Crème de Mure
50ml Lemon
25ml Gomme
20ml Blackberry Puree
Topped with Prossecco

Instructions:

Shakey shakey then strainy strainy over cubed ice and then top up with sparkling wine.

They do plenty with Bourbon and Bourbon recipes at All Star Lanes. Visit www.allstarlanes.co.uk

Like this article? Here are some other articles of interest:

1. All Star Julep – from All Star Lanes, London, England
2. All Star Lanes – Holborn, Bayswater and Bricklane, London England
3. Bourbon and Bowling in London, England

Most people simply do not order hot toddies in the middle of summer and pina coladas tend to fall out of favor in the winter. Now reverse the roles and both drinks find favor in their respective seasons. Fresh berry smashes aren’t nearly as good out of season, when they are produced in the assembly lines of hothouses. I’ll hold that some drinks are timeless, but there is a reason that mint juleps are consumed almost exclusively, in Spring around Derby-time- even in Kentucky.

The following is a wonderfully light, refreshing summer cocktail meant to use the first of the year’s tomatoes and cucumbers. Drawing inspiration from Spain’s archetypical chilled summer soup, it finishes with the surprise of sweet balsamic vinegar exploding out of what appears to be a simple grape tomato in the bottom of the glass. Salud!

For the mix:

4 Vine-Ripened Tomatoes
2 Large English Cucumber
1 Garlic Clove
Juice of 1 Lemon
2 Pepperoncinis, destemmed
1 Tbspn Pepperoncini brine
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Place all in a blender and blend until fine. Press through a chinois or fine-mesh strainer with the back of a ladle. Discard pulp (yet it does make a nice salsa with the addition of cilantro.) Strain the liquid through coffee filters (you will have to use more than one.

For the drink:

1 part Crystal Head Vodka, or other neutral vodka
3 parts Mix

Shaken, Served up.

For the garnish:

Grape Tomatoes
Balsamic Vinegar
Meat Injection Needle

Simply inject the tomato, where the stem met fruit, with the injection needle. You will find that if you stir the inside of the tomato up a bit, it will absorb more vinegar. Take it slow, being careful not to pierce the bottom or to inject the vinegar too quickly. It can make quite the mess, if you let it!

Recipe and Article by BourbonBlog.com Beverage Consultant/Mixologist Stephen Dennison

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1. The Bloody Eye, sometimes boys just have to be boys…
2. Beefy Bourbon Chili
3. Saffron Vodka and Tarragon Vodka, Podcast interview with Mike Sherwood of Sub Rosa Spirits

The Malted Alexander

2 oz. Wasmund’s Single Malt Whisky
3 oz. Coffee Ice cream
3 ice cubes

Place all in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into large snifter. Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.

Recipe created by and article by BourbonBlog.com Beverage Constultant Stephen Dennison

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1. Bourbon Milk Punch
2. Firefly Eggnog Recipe
3. Maker’s Mark Eggnog