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Cocktail Party

Spiced Bourbon Cocktail With Pomegranate Syrup

by:
October 12, 2020
4.5
6 Ratings
Photo by Elliott Clark
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Makes 1 cocktail
Test Kitchen Notes

A season-ready sipper starring Basil Hayden's® bourbon and a few classic fall flavors, like cinnamon, pomegranate, and fresh rosemary.

This recipe is shared in partnership with Basil Hayden's®.

Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% Alc./Vol. ©2020 Kentucky Springs Distilling Co., Clermont, KY —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • For the cocktail:
  • 1 1/2 parts Basil Hayden's® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • 1/2 part cinnamon-pomegranate syrup
  • 1/2 part fresh-squeezed lime juice
  • 1 part fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 2 dashes black walnut bitters
  • Cinnamon stick (for garnish)
  • Fresh rosemary sprig (for garnish)
  • For the cinnamon-pomegranate syrup:
  • 1 cup pomegranate juice
  • 5 cinnamon sticks, broken up into large pieces
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
Directions
  1. For the cocktail:
  2. Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a double rocks glass over ice.
  3. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a sprig of rosemary.
  1. For the cinnamon-pomegranate syrup:
  2. Combine the pomegranate juice and cinnamon sticks in a medium saucepan on the stove. Bring to a light simmer to release the flavor from the cinnamon sticks.
  3. Add the granulated sugar, and gently stir to dissolve (do not bring to a boil). Once the sugar is dissolved, remove the syrup from the heat and allow it to cool. Strain out the cinnamon sticks and store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
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This Recipe is Featured In:

A Crisp Bourbon Cocktail to Toast the Season

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Elliott Clark, also known as the Apartment Bartender, is a well-respected tastemaker, cocktail creator, spirits writer, and photographer in the spirits industry. What started out as a hobby for making cocktails at home has developed into a full-blown career that takes Elliott all over the world mixing drinks for some of the world’s most notable brands, and making the world of spirits more accessible to the at-home cocktail enthusiast.

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10 Reviews

Write a Review
eleni December 19, 2024
A bit more sweet than I would have liked and expected (with only a quarter of the ingredients being sweet). I’m a fan of a good Gold Rush which I guess does not have the same amount of juice. Perhaps grapefruit juice is more sweet than I remember?
Bighugedom December 9, 2020
This is bomb. Jeffery Morgenthaler turned me onto bourbon and grapefruit. This is honestly my favorite incarnation of that pairing. I already had cinnamon syrup and grenadine so I just used those — so good. Bravo to Elliot Clark 👏
melmercrz47 December 6, 2020
Made this last night and it was delicious and hit with the fam. Didn’t have black walnut bitters so just used what I did have. I let the cinnamon steep in the syrup a little longer while it cooled and the charred cinnamon sticks and Rosemary make it look great. Def will make again.
Taylor K. November 24, 2020
Hi! Is there an easy way to batch this. Or just kinda make a couple at a time?
LagunaGreg November 14, 2020
Perfect new cocktail for the holidays. We often switch to a “St. Nick” this time of year (bourbon, lemon, orange and maple syrup). This has more dimension - and a beautiful color. The cinnamon adds a warm finish but doesn’t overpower the citrus/pomegranate. And I love having more uses for the deep foundation of walnut bitters. Thanks for the great bourbon update!
Kevin November 6, 2020
The paper plane (a vastly underrated drink) is my favorite, but this may edge it out in late fall/winter with the pomegranate/cinnamon syrup that is well-balanced with the tart citrus. The dashes of walnut bitters give it great depth (I forgot to add it once, and definitely could taste the difference). Only problem is squeezing the grapefruit (I may have to break down and buy just juice).

I should’ve saved the cinnamon sticks I used to make the syrup for garnish, though I’m not sure it would add much to the taste of the drink. But I’m now intrigued about what the aroma of the rosemary would do, or if it’s just for looks... definitely have to try that.
Kevin November 6, 2020
The paper plane (a vastly underrated drink) is my favorite, but this may edge it out in late fall/winter with the pomegranate/cinnamon syrup that is well-balanced with the tart citrus. The dashes of walnut bitters give it great depth (I forgot to add it once, and definitely could taste the difference). Only problem is squeezing the grapefruit (I may have to break down and buy just juice).

I should’ve saved the cinnamon sticks I used to make the syrup for garnish, though I’m not sure it would add much to the taste of the drink. But I’m now intrigued about what the aroma of the rosemary would do, or if it’s just for looks... definitely have to try that.
Apartment B. November 6, 2020
Love me a paper plane as well! And thanks for trying out the cocktail - happy to hear you liked it. Also, the rosemary adds a nice aroma to the garnish, and makes it a bit more festive this time of year, definitely try it out. Cheers!
Lynn November 1, 2020
This is one fabulous cocktail! I was looking for a winter replacement for my go-to margarita and this is it. I’m also not the biggest bourbon fan in general but this Basil Hayden brand is smooth and the mix of fresh lime and grapefruit with the wonderful cinnamon pomegranate simple syrup is a concoction from heaven. I skip the bitters, too. Thanks for the new addiction!
Apartment B. November 6, 2020
Happy to hear! Thanks for trying it out :)