I do not particularly gravitate towards bourbon as a drink. I’m a gin girl so opting for a dark liquor is a little out of my comfort zone unless of course it’s for the Kentucky Derby and I’m making a signature derby cocktail. However, in an effort to try something new, I whipped up a citrusy bourbon prosecco spritzer that had this gin drinker thinking of converting entirely into a bourbon girl.
There’s nothing particularly wrong with being a bourbon drinker, it’s just never been the type of drink I gravitate towards. I’m typically averse to that sharp burn that hits your palate and nose while sipping on the stuff, and typically I like my bourbon drinks ice cold so that drinking it is a smoother experience. I believe that’s why I thought making a prosecco spritzer would be a great way to edge me out of my comfort zone and explore how bourbon can be applied in my life. Bourbon and I are already well acquainted in the kitchen for baking (it makes a great meringue), but I wanted to push the envelope and make it a drink I could enjoy on the weekends as well.
I wanted to keep it simple and keep it fragrant so I opted to use ingredients for it that were already on my menu for my family’s early Thanksgiving: oranges, sage, and sugar. I already had bourbon in my liquor cabinet and prosecco on my wine shelf from previous cocktail creations, so I figured I’d give it a go and whip something together.
The result: a subtly herby citrusy bourbon punch with lovely effervescence from the prosecco. A crowd favorite and a great use of the extra oranges I had bought for a salad dressing.
- 1 1/2 ounces of High Quality Bourbon I used Woodford Reserve
- 3 ounces of Prosecco I used Luna Nuda
- 3 ounces of fresh squeeze orange juice
- 1/2 ounce of sage simple syrup find recipe here
- 4 ice cubes
- Sage leaves and edible flowers for garnish
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In a cocktail shaker, add one ice cube, bourbon, orange juice and simple syrup to it.
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With a cocktail stir, give the concoction a thorough stir so that all ingredients are well combined.
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Slowly add your prosecco, and give a gentle stir to combine.
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Put remaining 3 ice cubes in a cocktail glass, and pour mixture into glass.
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Garnish with a sage leaf and edible flowers.
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Serve cold.