SPIRITS

Crisp & Mellow

Bourbon plus a splash of citrus equals a surprisingly refreshing spring cocktail.

BY SANDI GRIGG I It can be intimidating trying to mix your own cocktails at home. If you are like me, you have stared at the overwhelming walls of mixers and expensive bottles with fancy labels at the liquor store, wondering what all those bottles are used for, right before grabbing the featured vodka on sale. This cocktail is easy but it tastes more complicated. For this delicious creation, you are going to need very minimal items from the liquor store and ingredients that you probably already have at home … at least I do. I am not a huge bourbon fan, but my spouse is so we always have it on hand. I like using bourbon when cooking and making cocktails because unlike some other types of whiskey, bourbon legally can’t contain any added artificial flavors or sugar. That gives me more control over what is in the recipe.

For this cocktail, I used Knob Creek Bourbon because we were gifted a special release for the holidays. It is quite spicy, but the apple juice pairs well with the flavor. In fact, the lemon juice, orange bitters and triple sec make the citric aspect of this drink and really help mellow out the bourbon punch without overwhelming this cocktail. It is so refreshing that you might just forget you are drinking bourbon.

If you would like to add a little sparkle or fizz to the cocktail, choose a sparkling water like La Croix or soda water instead of the apple juice.

CITRIC BOURBON Makes one drink

INGREDIENTS 1½ ounces bourbon 1¼ ounces apple juice ¾ ounce triple sec ¼ ounce lemon juice 2 dashes orange bitters

METHOD Pour all the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange peel.