Cocktail Friday: Bourbon Thyme

This bourbon thyme cocktail recipe is my new favorite. I have not always been a bourbon person. To be honest, I think my love for bourbon came after I became a parent. Coincidence? You decide. Seriously though, I have probably come to appreciate  bourbon more in the past year through experimenting with various recipes (Brown Butter Old Fashioned or Bourbon Apple Cider anyone?) that have proven that bourbon is more versatile than I expected. Given my new love, I was thrilled to receive a bottle of Elk Rider Bourbon from Heritage Distilling in Gig Harbor, Washington. Any day that involved a bourbon delivery to your front door is a good day. Am I right?

When I try new spirits, I like to first sample them on their own or mixed into simple, familiar cocktails. For example, when testing a new gin, I like to make a classic gin and tonic. I think that cocktail can tell a lot about the quality of the gin because it is vulnerable. In the correct amounts, tonic water and lime juice cannot cover up the herb notes in gin. If they do, something is wrong with either the gin or the proportions. But I digress. Back to bourbon...

I tasted Elk Rider Bourbon straight without ice to start. I was struck immediately by the smooth, sweet taste because I am often a little shocked at my first sip of any spirit straight up. Next, I added a tiny splash of water which can help the flavors bloom a bit. It was lovely. Drinkable with just the right amount of alcoholy bite and sweet nuttiness.

Once I had a good feel for the flavor of the bourbon, I started brainstorming what I could mix with it to make a refreshing spring cocktail. As with many of the recipes I develop, I found my inspiration by simply walking around the grocery store. After grabbing two bags of Meyer lemons and some beautiful fresh thyme, I knew exactly what I wanted: a bourbon spiked Meyer lemonade. Yes and yes.

Feeling inspired by the pleasant flavor of the bourbon and the Elk Rider story (which I've included below because I think it's great) I came home to mix up this delicious, spring-weekend-worthy cocktail. It's perfect for bourbon lovers who are looking for a way to extend the season for this spirit into warmer months. If you're not a bourbon fan, this will work beautifully with vodka or gin as well.

Here's a little bit about the inspiration behind the Elk Rider series from Heritage Distilling:

"The idea and inspiration for the Elk Rider™ line of spirits comes from our female founder. Her ancestors were some of the first settlers in the Lake Quinault and Queets River area in the late 1800′s in what is now the heart of Olympic National Park. While homesteading with a family of 17 children these early pioneering family members broke and tamed wild elk. Their feats were legendary for miles around. The elk became so popular they started to be used in parades in southwest Washington and Portland. The best part is we still have the family glass negatives to prove it."

"Every Spirit Has a Story," What's Yours? 

*Full disclosure: I was given products from Heritage Distilling to use for Set the Table cocktail recipes. My opinions are 100% my own.

Bourbon Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 oz Elk Rider Bourbon
• 2 oz Meyer lemon juice
• 2 oz water
• 1 oz honey-thyme simple syrup
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 or 6 thyme sprigs

Instructions

1. Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice.
2. Combine the bourbon, lemon juice, water, and honey-thyme simple syrup in a shaker filled with ice.
3. Stir until thoroughly combined.
4. Strain into prepared cocktail glass, garnish with a thyme sprig, and serve.
5. Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.
6. Add the thyme sprigs and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Remove from the heat and let cool.
8. Remove the thyme sprigs and pour into a jar. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

If you can't find Meyer lemons, you can use regular lemons. The result will be a bit more tart but still delicious!

Cocktail Friday: The White Thyme

As I write this, I'm listening to melting snow dripping loudly outside. The snow that showered down on us Tuesday is disappearing, revealing tender green grass that is defying the odds and growing quickly despite the cold weather. For some reason, Mother Nature just doesn't want to let us get on with Spring this year. She seems to think this isn't the time. I'm not complaining for two reasons: first, I love a good snow storm, and second, we need precipitation of any kind here Colorado. My husband jokingly called me the "drought expert" the other day because I have been so focused on how much moisture we have (or haven't, as the case may be) been getting. What can I say? I'm a little bit of a worrier.  But like everyone else who has been moaning and groaning over the wintery weather, I'm looking forward to when whoever is in charge decides it is, in fact, the right time for spring.

It may not be the right time just yet, but this White Thyme cocktail (I hope you've caught on to the joke here) will be perfect whether Spring decides to come back and stay a while or not. Although, I think it would be best enjoyed outside while wearing sandals and sunglasses rather than in the middle of a snow storm. Wine cocktails, specifically white wine cocktails or spritzers, are not usually something I drink and/or make. However, I had been thinking a lot lately about taking the leap and mixing something up with a vino base. After seeing this Blackberry on Ryecocktail from Honestly YUM, I knew it was a sign that I should go ahead and give it a shot.

I kept things simple this time around, not wanting to turn this into some scary, sugary drink that would surely mask the wonderful flavor of my unoaked Chardonnay. Instead, I kept the ingredients simple and few, using things that made me think of the flavors already present in the wine. Rather than using sugar or simple syrup, I added wildflower honey which gives a subtle, smooth sweetness. To the honey, I added some lemon juice and thyme, then muddled it all together in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. I added the wine and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters and stirred everything together very well until the honey became fully incorporated. Then, I poured it over crushed ice, added a splash of club soda, and a sprig of thyme for garnish.

If it isn't the right time, make the White Thyme. (Sorry, I had to...)

Some additional notes:

I used an unoaked Chardonnay here, but you could easily use a Sauvignon Blanc or even a dry Rosé. If your wine is naturally sweet, hold back on the honey until you've tasted it. You may not need it. The thyme was the perfect pairing, but you could get creative and use whatever fresh herbs you have around. Just try not to overpower your wine. Thyme and rosemary are quite potent, for example, and all you want is the hint of the herb in your cocktail. Other choices that would work nicely might be fennel fronds, tarragon, or lavender.

Have you used Angostura bitters before? I hadn't until recently and I must say that I'm glad I have it around. There are numerous classic cocktails that call for bitters (Old Fashioned or Manhattan, anyone?) and it is fun to use in new concoctions as well. Bitters are an interesting ingredient and it turns out they are not as bitter as you might imagine. That is the case with Angostura bitters, anyway. Instead, it seems that they help all the ingredients in a cocktail come together.

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