For this one, I was inspired by my friend Heather Sperling’s feature on Tasting Table Chicago about September being Bourbon Heritage Month. As the autumn starts to sneak in, I tend to find myself craving darker drinks based on whiskey or rum, as well as the darker ales. Somehow, they just give you a warm feeling that a gin and tonic can’t manage, you know? Anyway, I am not fully ready to commit to the fall season yet, so I think this is a good crossover drink that, depending on the audience, can be a crowd-pleaser. Sure, bourbon isn’t for everybody, but I know that I have attended more than one wedding back home that had a fountain of Whiskey Sour.
A fountain, yes.
Seems like a bad idea, huh? Probably, but it was a good way to get people on the dance floor for the Hokey-Pokey and the Electric Slide!
Per usual, I use the freshest stuff I can find, but I think you can make a close approximation with a little sugar and store-bought orange and lemon juice. These don’t require the best bourbon, but certainly don’t get something from the bottom of the barrel. Get a middle-range example and kick back somewhere in the sun, even if it is just in the window of your apartment.
Combine in a cocktail shaker:
1/2 cup of bourbon
Juice from 1 and 1/2 lemons (1 lemon, if they are large)
Juice from 1/2 an orange
1-2 teaspoons of sugar (or to taste)
A few drops of Peychaud’s or Angostura Bitters
Stir this mixture together with a long spoon until the sugar dissolves. Add:
1 cup of ice cubes
Place the lid on the shaker and shake until it is too cold to hold, then strain into two rocks glasses filled with ice. Garnish with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Shallots Web 