HAND CRAFTED  Bourbon cocktail recipes

It’s peak summer (in our hearts, regardless of actual calendar date), which means one thing: tomatoes are at their absolute best. Bursting with flavor and versatility, tomatoes can go sweet or savory, and the same goes for cocktails. The Jar Drop is a cheeky take on a whisky sour with tomato water, sea salt, and manzanilla sherry. Not only is it bright and surprisingly full of umami, but these tomatoes are sourced directly from my neighborhood farmer’s market. This drink is inspired by the ingredients themselves, sold by the very farmers who grew them. 

This perfectly unreasonable cocktail is nostalgia in a glass, because nothing beats a PB&J with a glass of milk. Unless of course it's in cocktail form. Inspired by Maker’s Mark’s cherry vanilla flavor notes that reminded her of jam, the idea just snowballed from there. And it’s a great excuse for a fun garnish snack! There are two infusions and a clarification for this one, but this cocktail, like most good things, is worth the wait.

Don’t let the name fool you! The New York Sour may sound like an East Coast classic, but its roots likely trace back to Chicago. Over time, it’s picked up more than a few nicknames — Continental Sour, Claret Snap, even Southern Whisky Sour — all hinting at its ability to charm just about anyone, anywhere. With a bold bourbon base and a dramatic float of red wine, the New York Sour is as eye-catching as it is delicious, and it’s easier to make than it looks.

The Rosemary Maple Sour brings a sweet sprig of innovation to a cocktail classic. The delicious bounty of the outdoors meets the one-of-a-kind Maker’s Mark. Bursting with flavor, this sour is rounded out with fresh rosemary and maple syrup.

The elevated flavor and higher proof of Maker's Mark 46 brings a new level of sophistication to this elegant classic. This simple yet flavorful cocktail enhanced with elevated holiday ingredients is the perfect balance of classic cocktail culture and winter warmers.

The elevated flavor and higher proof of Maker's Mark 46 brings a new level of sophistication to this elegant classic. This simple yet flavorful cocktail is said to have first been served at the Manhattan Club. Like many stories involving whisky, its history is a bit cloudy, but one thing is clear, the Manhattanite who first concocted this cocktail created a classic with true staying power.

The Maker's Mark Cask Smash brings flavor straight from the garden into your glass. We prefer to use fresh Opal Basil, but feel free to experiment with other intense herbs like rosemary, mint, or tarragon.

A twist on a refreshing favorite using an "Oleo Saccharum" to capture the brightest notes of lemon and orange to accompany the sweet notes of Maker's Mark bourbon. For best results, use a high quality ginger ale (we use "Ale-8-One") for depth of flavor. The Oleo Saccharum can be made the day before and holds for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

Layered with bold flavors, this daytime sipper brings heat, umami, tangy tomato and the sweet, full flavor of Maker's Mark.  While there are countless wild stories – ranging from Queens to movie stars – about where the name "Bloody Mary" comes from, we favor bourbon over vodka in ours. Spicy and savory, this satisfying riff on the Bloody Mary features a feast of ingredients that gives this cocktail well-rounded flavor with a bold Maker's boost.

Aperol^® – a bitter orange aperitif from the Italian city of Padua – and a splash of Prosecco bring sophistication to this patio-ready Maker's Mark spritz. Our riff on the Aperol Spritz blows the 1950s European summer staple out of the water. While 2018 may have been the Summer of the Spritz, this season it’s all about variations like the Bourbon Spritz, with the signature caramel notes of Maker’s Mark adding a new layer of excitement.

Putting our stamp on a riff of another classic, the Negroni, we replace gin with Maker's Mark Cask Strength, delivering intriguing depth and warmth. Said to have been born at the legendary Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s, the cocktail is named after Erskine Gwynne's French version of The New Yorker magazine called Le Boulevardier. And of course, Cask Strength opens a new chapter for this classic.