Here’s something out of the ordinary – a refreshing, summery cocktail based on bourbon. And it has Nashville roots. Concocted by the bar manager at uber-trendy restaurant, Henrietta Red, and featured Garden & Gun magazine, this number has the surprising quality of being both rich and light and refreshing at the same time.
Most people associate the darker, heavier spirits with cool weather drinking. So do I, and that’s why this one is such a pleasant surprise. The rich flavor comes from the bourbon, but it is lifted into the summer sipping category by grapefruit, lemon, and the ever-bracing bitterness of Campari.
A complex, delicious combo with a gorgeous color. Perfect to sip at the end of a long, hot day.
Who knew?
Third Man
1½ oz. bourbon
1 oz. grapefruit juice
¾ oz. lemon juice
¾ oz. Campari
½ oz. simple syrup
Combine the ingredients, shake with ice until frigid, and strain into a rocks glass with another cube or two.
A word about grapefruit juice. Anybody who knows me, knows that I insist on fresh squeezed citrus in cocktails. With grapefruit I can make an exception. Fresh squeezed is best, but if you go to somewhere like Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s and buy a jug of organic, all-juice, no additives, not-from-concentrate, never-frozen stuff, it will be okay.