With the sun making its long-awaited return, we say it’s time to toast to the warmer days ahead. And though folks tend to reach for their bourbon in the colder months, truth be told, every season is bourbon season. Now that the produce section is no longer dominated by root vegetables, there’s a slew of fresh ingredients to shake up with America’s flagship spirit, and it’d be a shame to miss out on the cocktail potential at hand.
From fresh currant-infused riffs on modern classics to spring stalwarts like the Mint Julep, check out VinePair’s list of the best bourbon cocktails for spring.
The Bourbon Renewal
Dried currants are available year round in the U.S., but fresh currants only come around for a hot minute in late spring and early summer. If you manage to score a bunch, consider yourself ready to make a proper Bourbon Renewal. With a build of bourbon, crème de cassis, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters, this modern classic bridges the gap between a Whiskey Sour and a Bramble for a cocktail that’s ready-made for spring sipping. The drink’s inventor, bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, suggests using fresh currants to garnish this one, but a lemon wheel makes an acceptable substitute if you’ve missed out on this year’s crop.
See Recipe The Mint Julep
There are few bourbon cocktails as refreshing and ubiquitous as the Mint Julep: a simple blend of bourbon, simple syrup, and muddled mint mingling under a mountain of crushed
