Redeem Yourself

When I try out a new bourbon, I like to taste it and then think about what flavors could go with it. If I really enjoy the bourbon, I want to be able to create multiple cocktails so I can use it more than once. I tried the Redemption Bourbon after seeing it at Costco. It's an interesting American bourbon made in Indiana with notes of peanut butter and caramel. I like that I can drink it straight or in a cocktail. Here are my two cocktails that I made with it.

Any time I can make an old fashioned, I go for it. It's such a solid cocktail that you can add flavors to and change the dimension so easily. This old fashioned I replaced the sugar cube with maple syrup and added in a little orange liqueur to add fruitiness.

Maple old fashioned

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1 oz Orange liqueur

1/2 oz maple syrup

3 dashes of angostura bitters

Orange slice

Garnish: luxardo cherry 🍒

Recipe: In a mixing glass, Pour bourbon, orange liqueur, and bitters. In an old fashioned glass, place orange slice and pour maple syrup. Muddle them and stir the mixing glass. Pour from mixing glass. Add ice and luxury cherries.

My other cocktail is also the basics of a staple bourbon cocktail but elevated. I made a manhattan with the addition of muddled strawberries and simple syrup. The simple syrup opens up the strawberry flavor. I muddled simple syrup and strawberries then let it sit with the bourbon to absorb the flavors. It's almost like a infusion but less pressure.

Strawberry Manhattan

Ingredients

2 oz Bourbon

1 oz Sweet Vermouth

1/2 oz simple syrup

3 dashes of angostura bitters

Strawberry 🍓 (muddled)

Garnish: luxardo cherries 🍒

Recipe: In a mixing glass, muddle strawberries and simple syrup. Pour bourbon and let sit for a few minutes. When ready for a cocktail, pour sweet vermouth and angostura bitters. Stir and pour into a coupe glass or cocktail glass. Garnish with Luxardo cherries.