Pour it on for National Bourbon Month

Who knew that September was National Bourbon Heritage Month? (Or that it took an Act of Congress to get there?)

Now that you do, sidle on up to the celebration with a couple of specialty cocktails at watering holes around town. Compère Lapin is showcasing the TCB Sour, a variation of a Whiskey sour made with bourbon, lemon, orgeat (almond syrup) cherry and byrrh fortified wine. Savvy libations designer Julia McElroy has created an array of bourbon-based cocktails for Grand Isle, including the Victoria Gloriana with muddled rosemary needles, Buffalo Trace bourbon and ginger beer. And all three of Emeril Lagasse’s New Orleans restaurants’ (Delmonico, Emeril’s and Nola) are offering specialty bourbon cocktails throughout September; What’s Up Doc combines Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur, carrot juice, orange juice, ginger syrup, lemon juice and fresh min, while Maple & Bacon has house made bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup, lemon juice, an egg white, old fashioned bitters and a lemon twist.

See below for a a bevy of Bourbon recipes from participating restaurants.

COMPÉRE LAPIN

TCB Sour

• 2 ounce bourbon
• 1 ounce lemon
• ½ orgeat
• ¾ Byrrh
• ½ ounce egg white

Shake and serve on the rocks with an orange peel.

GRAND ISLE

Forget the Horses

• 3 muddled mint leaves
• 2 ounces Bulleit bourbon
• ½ ounce Nocello walnut liqueur

Serve over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with mint leaves.

French 7Q

• 1 ounce Ty-Ku coconut sake
• 1 ounce Angel’s Envy bourbon
• ½ ounce St. Germain elderflower liqueur

Pour into a Champagne glass filled with Roederer Estate sparkling wine.

Victoria Gloriana

• Six muddled rosemary needles
• 2 ounces Buffalo Trace bourbon

Pour over ice in rocks glass and top with ginger beer. Garnish with rosemary sprig.

New Old Fashioned

• 2 ounces Blanton’s bourbon
• ½ ounce cherry infused Luxardo (1 – see below)
• ½ ounce blood orange syrup (2 – see below)
• 3 dashes Angustora bitters

Serve over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with an orange twist and a Luxardo soaked cherry.

Cherry infused Luxardo: Soak two pints of fresh cherries, gently mashed, in 750ml Luxardo liqueur. Let it sit for one day. Save the liquor and cherries in separate containers.

Blood orange syrup: Mix one (1) cup freshly squeezed, strained blood orange juice and 1½ cups sugar in a pot on stove over medium flame. Stir constantly until all sugar is dissolved. Do not simmer or boil.

EMERIL’S / EMERIL’S DELMONICO / NOLA RESTAURANT

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Smash

• Wedge of satsuma or orange
• 1 ounce Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• ¾ ounce Grand Marnier
• ½ ounce Cherry Heering
• ½ ounce Falernum*
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
• Satsuma or orange wheel for garnish

Muddle the citrus wedge in a cocktail shaker then add the remaining ingredients except the citrus wheel. Add ice, shake and pour into an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a citrus wheel. *Note: Falernum is a liqueur or syrup with a sweetened combination of flavors that include almond, ginger, clove, lime, vanilla, and allspice.

What’s Up Doc

• 1½ ounces Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur
• 1½ ounces carrot juice
• 1½ ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 ounce ginger syrup
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Fresh mint sprig, for garnish

Combine all ingredients except the mint in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake and strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Garnish with mint.

Bacon and Maple

• 1½ ounces house made bacon bourbon
• ¾ ounce grade B maple syrup
• 1½ ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ egg white
• Lemon twist, for garnish
• 2 dashes old fashioned bitters

Combine all ingredients except the lemon twist and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, shake and strain into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with the lemon wheel and add bitters.