IMG_1169Since I moved to Kentucky in 2011, I decided to start a Kentucky Christmas tradition.

One that involves bourbon.

Now, if you’re a bourbon-lover, or live in Kentucky, you might be thinking this is nothing new.

But for someone like me, who prefers her libations on the grape varietal side, bourbon is not something I’d enjoyed in the past.

Last year, for my first Kentucky Christmas, that changed.

I’d surfed the web for bourbon-based, festive cocktails, and after mixing a few concoctions, I’d settled on a few too many Red Raiders.

After a year of sipping, and decidedly liking bourbon, I felt comfortable enough to make my own Christmas cocktail this year.

Here is what you’ll need.

Merry Christmas!

Berry Bourbon Christmas Cocktail

  • Sugar
  • 1 jigger bourbon (your preference)
  • 1 jigger pomegranate juice
  • ½ jigger orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or triple sec)
  • Ice
  • Diet tonic
  • Orange, cut into ¼ inch slices 
  • In a mortar and pestle, or spice grinder, grind sugar to a fine grain. Pour on a small plate.
  • In a cocktail shaker, add the bourbon, pomegranate juice, orange liqueur and ice. Shake.
  • Wet the rim of a short cocktail glass with an orange slice, and press the wet rim into the sugar.
  • Fill the glass with ice.
  • Strain the cocktail into the ice-filled glass.
  • Add a splash of tonic. Stir.
  • Squeeze juice from orange slice and add the slice to the drink.
  • Sip slowly.
  • Repeat.
  • Drink responsibly.