Bourbon Renewal Cocktail

Sweet crème de cassis mixes with oaky bourbon to produce a delicious take on the classic whiskey sour.

Updated March 02, 2023

The Bourbon Renewal cocktail in an Old Fashioned glass. — Serious Eats / Nick Guy

Why It Works

Crème de cassis helps tame the bite of bourbon.
Fresh lemon juice and simple syrup provide flavor far superior to that of store-bought sour mix.

Portland, Oregon's Clyde Common is home to the Bourbon Renewal. When we asked bar manager Jeffrey Morgenthaler to recommend a fall drink that was easily made at home, this was near the top of his list.

Made with bourbon, fresh lemon juice, crème de cassis, simple syrup, and a dash of Angostura bitters, the Bourbon Renewal takes the standard whiskey sour to the next level. Although there's more bourbon than anything else, the strong berry flavor of the crème de cassis was the first thing to hit us. Combined with the simple syrup and lemon juice, the liqueur definitely tames the strong tones of the spirit. You do, however, still get the oak coming through the fruity drink.

Make no mistake, this drink's on the sweet side, fruity and rich, but with much better flavors than you'd get from any store-bought sour mix. True bourbon fans may want to bring down the simple syrup a little bit, but we found it highly enjoyable as is.

October 2013

Recipe Details

Bourbon Renewal Cocktail Recipe

Prep 5 mins

Active 5 mins

Total 5 mins

Serves 1 serving

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

2 ounces bourbon
1 ounce fresh juice from 1 lemon
1/2 ounce creme de cassis
1/2 ounce simple syrup (see note), or less to taste
1 dash Angostura bitters

Directions

Add bourbon, lemon, crème de cassis, simple syrup, and bitters to a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass.

Notes

If you like your drinks on the dry, tart side, consider starting with 1/4 ounce simple syrup and adding more to taste. To make simple syrup, combine 1 cup water with 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Cool before using. Simple syrup will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Whiskey

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
70	Calories
0g	Fat
14g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories	70
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 1mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 14g	5%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 12g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 12mg	59%
Calcium 2mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 32mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.