I love bourbon. I do. <3
I recently went on a cocktail-making shopping spree on Amazon and it was the best decision I’ve made in forever, I’m pretty sure! I’ve been wanting to make more cocktails at home for a while now. Especially when I have one I really enjoyed at a bar somewhere, but I just didn’t have the proper tools and I almost always made a mess using two drinking glasses as my cocktail shaker.
Well, no more messes! And yes to more delicious cocktails! My recent obsession? The one you see here today: blueberry basil bourbon smash.
You might say I’ve been on a huge blueberry kick lately, between the blueberry oatmeal smoothie I shared with you a couple weeks back and the blueberry mascarpone pie just last week, I just can’t help it. I love blueberries! So why not continue making delicious things with these blueberries, right!?
I got my shipment from Amazon a few weeks back and in that order was a cocktail shaker, a muddler and mixing spoon set, and a double jigger. And they are all faaaaantastic. The Oggi shaker is especially great because it stays shut when you’re shaking it, so you don’t have to worry about it leaking. I love it.
I thought the first cocktail I wanted to make with this was a maple leaf because it’s one of my favorite go-tos when I frequent some of my favorite bars (Green Street and Brick & Mortar do an amazing job), but I wanted to have more fun with ingredients and blueberries were the only fruit I had on hand, so I went from maple leaf to a blueberry bourbon smash instead! But that wasn’t enough because I wanted to muddle all of the things. I thought about which herbs I was growing this season and the only one I think would work well in a cocktail like this was basil – and I had two types to choose from!
I’ve made this drink a few times now and have gone back and forth between sweet basil and Greek basil because I have them both on my windowsill anyway. Either will work great and it adds a nice clean taste to the cocktail! I also tinkered with the amount of maple syrup each time because I made it too sweet at first, but I think it’s at a good spot now. Jason really enjoyed the drink too! Also, the combination of the basil, blueberries, lemon and maple makes this drink kind of dangerous because it doesn’t really taste like booze is even in there! I think that’s a good thing?
It is Thursday, so you know, maybe a cocktail is something you should have tonight? Make it a blueberry basil bourbon smash and let me know how you liked it. <3
Ingredients
- 1-2 fresh basil leaves I used Greek basil, but sweet basil works perfectly too
- 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/2 ounce maple syrup
- juice from half a lemon
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 5-6 ice cubes
- 1 lemon twist for garnish optional
Instructions
- Add basil, blueberries, and maple syrup to a shaker and muddle to release juices from the basil and blueberries.
- Add in lemon juice, bourbon, and ice cubes.
- Top shaker with lid and shake, shake, shake!
- Pour into glass, add your lemon twist, and enjoy that smash.*
Notes
Hi Marissa! I’m not a huge fan of bourbon, but with blueberries, basil and maple how could I not like it! I’ve been on a basil binge this summer. We have an abundance (we picked enough to fill an eight quart bowl yesterday) of what the plant label said was grape tomatoes – they are actually small roma tomatoes and the other day we picked up a package of fresh mozzarella pearls so combining those with fresh basil was obvious! They make really fun appetizers/snacks on toothpicks, drizzled with a little olive oil and fresh cracked pepper!
Hi Dorothy! Wow, that’s a lot of basil! I really love caprese salads so it sounds like you are doing it right making those appetizers! I would probably overload on eating them cause they sound so delicious. I have no self control when it comes to fresh mozzarella! 😀
blueberry and basil (AND BOURBON)? yes please! this sounds fantastic, and perfect for today…
Thanks Kristina! I’m kind of in love with this cocktail right now. <3
I love Blueberry + Basil! Add in bourbon = love at first sip!
Right!? It’s a great combo! Thanks Megan!
This looks absolutely refreshing!
Thanks Jackie! I highly recommend it after a long day. 🙂
I love the combination of maple and bourbon! I am going to try this cocktail this weekend. Sounds so yummy!
Thanks Lucy! Let me know how you like it!
I don’t love bourbon all that much, but I think made like this, I would manage! 🙂
Thanks Jenn! I find I can’t taste the bourbon when I make this drink, but I wonder how someone who doesn’t like bourbon would react. I’ll have to ask a friend of mine to try this next time she’s over to get her opinion – she doesn’t love bourbon either!
So love the name of this cocktail, it makes me want to down one even though I have no idea if I like bourbon or not!
Thanks Choclette! There’s only one way to find out if you like bourbon or not! 🙂
That is one fantastic looking cocktail, I bet it tastes great!
Thanks Sheena! It’s one of my new favorites to make (and especially drink). I’m almost out of blueberries though!
Wow! I love a good cocktail, especially a twist on classic flavours like this. We have almost exactly the same glasses! I’m going to give this a go this weekend for my boyfriend, Matt. He loves bourbon so this will be right up his street. I hope you have a great weekend 🙂
Thanks, Vicki! I hope you both enjoy it. 🙂 Enjoy your weekend!
Wow, such great combination – A must try!
Thanks Molly!
This sounds SO GOOD! I absolutely LOVE those flavours! It’s exactly what I need this Friday. 😀 I need to get my hands on that shaker too. I am in desperate need of one! 🙂
Thanks Dini! I really love the one I purchased; it actually stays shut and doesn’t leak when you shake it! 😀
Oh my my my! This is a drink I could get behind!
Yay, bourbon party!
I’m always in for a bit of bourbon fun, not that easy to get decent bourbon out here in Rural Hungary but usually have some knocking around so will certainly have a sup of this later 😀
No worries, Brian – just hop on a plane to the states and I’ll have one ready for you when you get here!
I need one of these right now! I’m loving the sound of the blueberry and basil combo.
Come on over, Cristie! I’ll make one for you. 🙂
I would not have thought of using basil and blueberries together but it makes sense – sounds delicious!
Thanks Jennifer! I really love the combination of the two.
Oh my gosh! This drink is speaking to me! I love anything and everything basil and the blueberry smash…love them! I will be over in 15 minutes!
Thanks J! I’ll have one ready for you!
This sounds awesome! My go-to is wine or beer , but I love a good cocktail.
Thanks, Melanie! I love a good wine or beer! Though I admit beer doesn’t love me as much these days. 😉 I may have had a bottle of rose to my face last night. 🙂
This is going on my list next! I would love it if you would link it up to Tipsy Tuesday at Grey is the New Black – a weekly cocktail linkup.
Thanks Pam! I’m very much interested in the linkup – I’ll check it out!
I’ve never cared for bourbon before but this drink is looking like it will change my mind!
Thanks Meredith! Bourbon tends to be my liquor of choice when I’m not in the mood for wine or tequila! 😉
This sounds so good! I love cocktails with blueberries! This is going on my must try list!
Thanks, Michelle! I love them too. 🙂 Let me know how it is when you make it!
Ok, how did you come up with blueberry and bourbon mix? You are so awesome for making a very delicious drink. It looks very classy and creative. I can see Don Draper drinking this
Thanks so much, Rini!