As the story goes, Augustus Bulleit’s bourbon family recipe, which disappeared long ago, as did his whereabouts, was rediscovered by his great-great-grandson Thomas Bulleit in 1987.
The Kentucky bourbon brand’s created three signature offerings since. And it’s been traveling around the country to community events, including festivals and sports games, since August to show drinkers how to reimagine their tailgate experiences. Swap your beer for bourbon, essentially.
CL got a taste of three simple-to-make Bulleit cocktails at an office luncheon Thursday.
One of the drinks, which uses sweet tea and basil, was developed by Kamran Mir, Fodder & Shine’s spiritual advisor (a much better title than beverage director), who attended alongside Bulleit brand ambassador Bobby Burke. Mir handed me a flyer for the new Florida Cracker restaurant, and said its very close to opening (wa-hoo!).
In case you’re planning pre- or post-Bourbon and Brew Festival merriment this weekend, here’s recipes for the drinks we tried. They’re a breeze to craft, and super smooth going down no matter the season.
The BLT
1.3 oz. Bulleit Bourbon
2 lemon wedges
3 oz. tonic
Build in a rocks glass, and serve over ice.
The Bulleit Basil Icepick
From Kamran Mir
Bulleit Bourbon
Sweet tea
2 fresh basil leaves
Crush one basil leaf and place in the bottom of a rocks glass. Fill with ice, bourbon and sweet tea.
Stir gently to combine. Garnish with smacked basil leaf.
The Bulleit Rye Sour
1.3 oz. Bulleit Rye
.5 oz. lemon juice
.75 oz. simple syrup
In a rocks glass, combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well.
Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a cherry. (Ignore the photo's garnish.)
This article appears in Dec 4-10, 2014.