This Bourbon Champagne Cocktail recipe is a great way to show people just how delicious Bourbon can be especially if they're a little afraid of it! With a little sparkling wine and some fresh blueberries, this easy cocktail is celebratory and perfect for enjoying with friends.
Wine cocktails are so fun to make for your friends and this one is a great introduction to people who are new to whiskey. I mean, who doesn't love a bit of bubbly in their drink?!
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Fruity and Fizzy Champagne Bourbon Cocktail
When people think of bourbon cocktails I think their brains go right to a very spirit-heavy drink. An Old Fashioned is basically all liquor so I totally get it.
But Bourbon (a decent one) is a great thing to use in cocktails to give them a delicious warm flavor. And it pairs really well with lots of other flavors like blueberries and fresh mint!
Related post: Apple Bourbon Cocktail
In this drink, the champagne gives it a little fizz but also adds a touch of sweetness to balance everything out. So if you've been wanting to dabble with bourbon drinks, you should start with this one!
Just a few years ago most of my girlfriends wouldn't even consider drinking bourbon cocktails. I'm so glad it became hip and there are all kinds of fun cocktail recipes popping up at bars across America that include bourbon.
Ingredients
Fresh fruit and herbs are pretty appealing to everyone. So this drink is the perfect thing to have on hand at parties.
Fresh blueberries and mint are delicious together and are a great pair for the bourbon. Frozen blueberries are great if you can't find them in season near you and also have a little more liquid which mixes well with the drink.
All bourbon is not created equal but you do not have to break the bank on a fancy bottle. You just need to find one that you like the flavor of. You may not ever want to have it served straight or over ice, but the flavor should be such that you could if you wanted.
A super cheap bottle will pretty much taste like gasoline and a super expensive bottle will not let its complex flavors stand out among the fruit and herb.
If you aren't sure where to start I say Bulleit Bourbon is a good one to reach for.
The same rules apply to champagne. The super cheap $4 bottles are way too sweet and won't add anything positive to the drink. And you don't need to show off with a $60 bottle.
La Marca Prosecco or Trader Joe's sparkling wines are good options!
How to Make a Bourbon and Champagne Cocktail
Up until you add the champagne you can make this cocktail in a shaker. I didn't. Instead, I mixed the bourbon, blueberries and mint in a small glass then added it to a taller cocktail glass full of ice. I truly don't think there is a wrong way to make a drink.
1. Muddle the blueberries and mint
Add the blueberries and mint to your glass. With a wooden muddler of the back of a spoon, gently smush the fruit and mint together.
2. Add the Bourbon
3. Add ice, bourbon mixture and champagne to your serving glass
Here's where I switched to a serving glass.
Add crushed ice and then pour the bourbon, blueberry and mint mixture over the top.
Top with sparkling wine or champagne, cava, or prosecco.
Give it a quick stir.
4. Garnish with fresh mint
Clap a leaf of fresh mint between your palms then garnish your drink with it.
I love all the fresh flavors mixed with the full-bodied bourbon and the slight effervescence of the sparkling wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Smaller batch bourbons can be delicious but hard to find in your local grocery store. Something in your price range from the top two shelves in the liquor aisle is a great start. I like Bulleit Bourbon, Knob Creek, or 4 Roses.
In my opinion, you can mix just about any liquor with champagne.
Images by Dez and Tam Photography
*Cava and recipe courtesy of Freixenet.
Related Recipes
I adore the flavors of this bourbon champagne cocktail. But if you want some more ideas, give these a try next!
- Cucumber Gimlet Cocktail with Vodka
- Gin Cocktails with Sparkling Wine
- Best Champagne Punch Recipe
- Spiced Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail
- 21 Simple Alcoholic Punch Recipes for Holiday Entertaining
- Champagne Classic
Bourbon Cocktail with Champagne
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava
- 2 oz. bourbon whiskey
- 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
- 6 mint leaves
- blueberries
Instructions
- Combine 4 mint leaves with sugar, blueberries and a few drops of water, and muddle well.
- Add the bourbon, and stir well.
- Strain into a Collins glass; add ice cubes, and the cava.
- Garnish with two mint leaves and serve.
Nutrition
This post was originally published on November 23, 2015, and has now been updated.
Jennifer G Mathews says
We paid the equivalent of 25 cents a bottle for Friexenet while vacationing in Spain...so nit so sure I'd call this a good sparkling wine.
Nichole says
This is SO my kind of cocktail!
Sharon Garofalow says
It's totally refreshing! I love the fruit and herb component.