I had this drink at The Bier Garden in Encinitas during the tail end of the flu. Normally I don’t have a taste for alcohol when I’m sick but with honey, lemon and bourbon this drink sounded like the best flavored Ricola cough drop you could ever imagine. I’m not really sure how to get the honey to totally dissolve but in the spirit of scientific quest, I will continue to experiment.
5 or 6 blackberries
1 1/2 oz. bourbon of your choice
3/4 oz. lemon
3/4 oz. créme de muir*
1 teaspoon honey
Try as best you can to dissolve the honey in the lemon juice in a glass and then add the blackberries and muddle. Add the remaining ingredients and fill the glass with ice. At this point you can either just stir it up or pour the whole drink in a cocktail shaker and shake it up well; strain it over fresh ice or dump the whole concoction right back in the glass— your choice. I personally find this additional step isn’t necessary. Garnish with a mint leaf and a blackberry.
* This is a blackberry liquor which can be difficult to find; you can also substitute créme de cassis but use about half the amount since it is sweeter.