Blanton Single Barrel Recipe

Chill glass

Place the rocks glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to cool the glass. Discard ice water before serving.

Measure & combine

Add 2 oz Blanton Single Barrel, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters into a mixing glass or stirring vessel.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large cubed ice (enough to come near the top). Stir with a bar spoon for about 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full rotations) until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted. The goal is to achieve a silky texture and a temperature around 0–2°C (32–36°F).

Prepare serving glass

Place a single large ice cube in the chilled rocks glass.

Strain

Using the bar spoon to hold back the ice, strain the stirred cocktail from the mixing glass into the rocks glass over the single large ice cube. Use a fine strainer if you used cracked ice or want a perfectly clear pour.

Express orange oils

Hold the orange peel (cut about 1.5–2 inches long) with the outer skin facing down over the drink and give it a firm squeeze to express the citrus oils across the surface. Optionally rub the peel's rim around the glass to enhance aroma.

Garnish & serve

Drop the expressed orange peel into the drink. Optionally add a Luxardo or brandied cherry on a pick. Serve immediately.

If you prefer a drier, more spirit-forward profile, omit the simple syrup. For a slightly sweeter, softer drink, increase simple syrup to 0.5 oz. Use one large clear ice cube to slow dilution and keep the cocktail cold without watering it down quickly. Stirring rather than shaking preserves the bourbon's silky texture and clarity.