Salvatore’s Gift- Bourbon, Averna, citrus juices, @Bittercube cherry bark vanilla bitters, vanilla bean soda

1.5 oz. Bourbon (Michter’s US *1 Small Batch)
1 oz. Averna
1/3 oz. Blood orange juice
1/3 oz. lemon juice
2 dash cherry bark vanilla bitters (Bittercube)
1/4 inch vanilla bean
Top with vanilla bean soda (opt.) (Dry Soda)
lemon oils

Shake all ingredients except soda (if using) over ice. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with soda. Express lemon oils with zest over cocktail. Discard zest.

This cocktail was created with vanilla as the star ingredient. Bourbon and Averna have a natural affinity and herbaceous richness, and Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Bourbon is a top choice and excellent candidate for this drink. Blood orange juice was used for color and flavor, but any orange juice can be substituted. We had to play with the ratios a bit, the first version was made without lemon juice, but the following attempt included lemon juice which helped to brighten the flavors and pull out cherry and cocoa notes and a lively tartness not quite achieved with the blood orange juice alone.

Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla bitters further complement the Averna, and add floral, fruit, and spice complexity as well as further evoking the chocolate notes in the Averna with its own hint of cocoa . For a lighter cocktail, try topping it off with Dry Sodas Vanilla Bean one example from Dry Soda’s portfolio that showcase how natural ingredients, lightly sweetend with pure sugar, and champagne-style small-bubble carbonation can yield fantastic and exciting results with endless pairing options.
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Derby Cocktail- 1 oz. Michter’s Bourbon, 1 oz Vya Sweet Vermouth, .75 oz Creole Shrubb, .75 oz lime juice, mint

1 oz bourbon (Michter’s US*1 Small Batch)
1/2 oz sweet vermouth (Vya)
1/2 oz orange curacao (Clement Creole Shrubb)
3/4 oz lime juice
Add mint leaf

Shake over ice. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Smack mint, then garnish.

This cocktail is from Ted Haigh’s Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails. The cocktail starts with a candied orange, tobacco, and mint nose. There is a tart/sweet entry followed by spiced orange notes, herbaceous botanicals from the vermouth and the charred oak depth of the whiskey. This is an interesting drink in the limited amount of bourbon, which may turn some away, but it’s reservation leads to a different beast of a drink, a bourbon cocktail to be sure, but one to be savored rather than shot down the hatch. The Creole shrubb is an amazing liqueur and holds its own with the tartness of the lime, a top choice among orange liqueurs. This is a good cocktail for fans of sour drinks such as the Pegu Club, whom prefer whiskey to gin.