I recently became a Bourbon fan but my girlfriends were skeptical. This Bourbon Champagne Cocktail is a great way to show them just how delicious Bourbon can be! Wine cocktails are so fun to make for your friends and this one works for both men and women! I mean, who doesn’t love a bit of bubbly in their drink?!
Bourbon Cocktails
What is it about bourbon cocktails that make ladies think it’s a man’s drink?
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. My husband loves a good whiskey sour or a Manhattan. But those are still a little too manly for some ladies.
What to Add to Bourbon to Make a Beautiful Cocktail
Who doesn’t love a little bit of sparkle, right? And fresh fruit and herbs are pretty appealing to everyone. So this drink is the perfect thing to have on hand at parties. Men can drink the bourbon straight up or use it in a classic mixed drink. Girls, on the other hand, can mix up this delicious cocktail. But don’t get me wrong. Men will love this too!
How to Make a Champagne Whisky Cocktail
The entire recipe is at the bottom of my post. But I love seeing photos of the recipe in action, so here are my step-by-step pictures as well.
1. Add Blueberries and Mint to the Glass
First, you grab blueberries and mint and add them to your glass. I used frozen blueberries that I let thaw for a few minutes. You can easily use fresh blueberries but my store didn’t have them. Which is weird. But I’m not going to dwell on it.
2. Muddle the Fruit
Muddle the heck out of them. In college when I needed to work out some aggression I used to drive around playing any song by Hole really loud and yell/sing along. Now, muddling kind of helps me in that department. Or tenderizing meat…
3. Add the Bourbon
Add your bourbon.
What is the best bourbon to use in a cocktail?
There are tons of great options out there. I’d stay in the top two shelf range if you are buying from the grocery store. Otherwise, we’ve found really great luck trying out different, smaller batch bourbons from a beverage mart.
Although you are mixing it with other things in this cocktail, I’m a firm believer that you should buy a liquor that you can potentially drink on its own.
Bottom shelf bourbon will strip the inside of your throat going down and make fire shoot out your eye holes. A nicer bottle can be a bit startling as well, but you also can start to taste flavors and see that there is, in fact, an artful quality into how they are made.
4. Add Ice and Champagne
Add ice and top with sparkling wine or champagne, or cava or prosecco.
5. 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. I originally used this recipe for a masculine birthday party I imagined for my husband. Guys don’t want too much frill but I knew this drink would be great to have on hand! Especially since the cava comes in such a cool black bottle. Totally mans it up don’t you think?
Bourbon Cocktail with Champagne
Ingredients
- 4 oz. Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava
- 2 oz. bourbon whiskey
- 1 tsp 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
Images by Dez and Tam Photography
*Cava and recipe courtesy of Freixenet.
More Drink Ideas
I adore the flavors of this bourbon champagne cocktail. But if you want some more ideas, give these a try next!
This is SO my kind of cocktail!
It’s totally refreshing! I love the fruit and herb component.