spiced honey citrus mint bourbon smash
My Starbucks is showing with this cocktail.
At Starbucks there exists a beverage called the Honey Citrus Mint Tea, formerly the Medicine Ball before someone decided that claiming the recipe as “medicine” was a big no-no. However, here on VE, anything goes, so I could have named this cocktail the Medicine Ball Smash if I pleased. I didn’t, though. I think this would be delicious as a sore throat elixir considering the feel good blend of spices infused into the honey simple syrup, and bourbon is well known to wick away the discomfort of a cold. I welcome you to try it that way.
Otherwise, this is a delectable, highly drinkable Friday night cocktail to warm your soul in the snow. I used Stagg Jr. in my drink and perhaps if you’re a lightweight like I you should steer clear: the ABV is 60% (plus or minus since it’s a barrel release and each bottle varies) which is about 15-20% higher than a typical bourbon like Maker’s Mark. Tispy Kellie is pretty humorous, though. I whipped around the kitchen swearing 10x more than I usually do, belted out extraneous song lyrics, launched into irrelevant narratives, probably dropped more than one item thankfully not on my toes. Liquor usually impacts me more energetically than wine, which renders me slow and drowsy. Anyone else like me in that regard?
Friday night done right with a Spiced Honey Citrus Mint Bourbon Smash. Trying this out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag me on Instagram so I can see!
Need another bourbon cocktail idea? Why not try a Ginger Bourbon Creme!
Ingredients
- 4-5 mint leaves
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1/2 oz lemon juice (about 1 tbsp)
- 2 oz spiced honey syrup (3-4 tbsp)
- sparkling water to top
spiced honey simple syrup
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 2-inch orange peel
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Instructions
- To make the syrup, heat ingredients in a small saucepan over medium until simmering. Lower heat and warm for 10 minutes. Strain into a container with an airtight lid. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.
- For the cocktail: muddle mint leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Measure bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup into the shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously 8-10 times. Strain into a cocktail glass. Top with sparkling water and garnish with mint leaves.
