I haven’t always loved bourbon or bourbon cocktails.

Originally Published 09/02/2021

But several years ago, my husband and I did the entire Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour in three days and it changed my mind about bourbon cocktails entirely! 

That’s eight distilleries in three days! It was an extremely fun crash course into, “hey you like bourbon!” And by the end of it, I sure did!

If you ever get the chance to go to Kentucky and see any or all of these distilleries, do it! The grounds of each of them are very unique and gorgeous. Kentucky itself is breathtaking, and standing over a giant fermentation vat is also quite literally breathtaking lol.  My top three favorites in order of 1st-3rd would be Makers Mark, Bulleit, and Town Branch. 

This bourbon cocktail I’ve concocted is made with Bulleit Rye! 

It also has homemade vanilla, blackberry & rosemary simple syrup, and a splash of lemon juice in it!  I’ve named her Rosemary’s Blackberry Speakeasy.

I hope you like it!

Our blackberry bushes this year didn’t produce as much as previous years.

Last winter, I trimmed them back. Well, I might have trimmed them too far back lol. Ooops.

We still got a couple of pounds of berries, but not enough to do anything grand with (like make 5 gallons of blackberry wine.) So we just froze bags of them as we gathered. The beginnings of this simple syrup are those blackberries.

If you go to make this, either fresh or frozen will work! I think fresh is always best, but blackberries are seasonal so use what’s available. On to making the syrup! Throw 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of blackberries, 2 tsp of vanilla, and two sprigs of fresh rosemary in a saucepan on the stove over medium-high heat. 

Rosemary is more of a silent partner in this bourbon cocktail.

If you didn’t know it was in there, you might just be like, “What is that delicious hint of something different?”

Rosemary just adds a fresh uplift on the back end of the sweet blackberry.

Bring the saucepan to a boil, mashing the blackberries as you go. Then simmer it for 5-8 minutes to cook off a little more of the water.

Next,

you’re gonna run the vanilla blackberry & rosemary syrup through a strainer. 

I’m not a big fan of drinking seeds, or chunks of things lol. 

Use a rubber spatula to press the berries around the strainer and get out as much juice as you can. Then discard all the pulp and now you’ve got delicious simple syrup ready for a bourbon cocktail!

You can put it in the fridge to cool. After it was cool, I poured mine into a swing-top bottle so it would take up less room in the fridge and be easier to pour into the drink. 

Someday, when I get really fancy, I’d love to buy these Glass Syrup Dispensers!

So, to make Rosemary’s Blackberry Speakeasy Bourbon Cocktail –

Add 2 oz of the vanilla blackberry & rosemary simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Next, add 1 1/2 oz of lemon juice and 1 1/2 oz of Bulleit Rye Whiskey. 

Throw some ice in the shaker as well and give it a good shake. 

Put a large ice sphere in your lowball glass, strain the shaker into it, and garnish with fresh blackberries!

And there you have it! A classy bourbon cocktail that’s so smooth, lovely, and goes down easy!

Let me know if you try this cocktail out and how you like it!?

Print Recipe

Rosemary’s Blackberry Speakeasy

A refreshingly sweet and tart bourbon cocktail featuring a homemade vanilla blackberry & rosemary simple syrup!

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Servings: 8 drinks

Equipment

• Small Saucepan
• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Whisk
• Strainer
• Bowl

Ingredients

Vanilla Blackberry & Rosemary Simple Syrup

• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 1/2 Cups Blackberries fresh
• 2 Sprigs Rosemary fresh
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Cocktail

• 2 oz Vanilla Blackberry & Rosemary Simple Syrup
• 1 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
• 1 1/2 oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey

Instructions

For the Simple Syrup

• In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, add 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 cups of blackberries, two sprigs of rosemary, and 2 tsp of vanilla. Bring all of this to a boil, stirring occasionally, mashing the blackberries as you go. Once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for another 5-8 minutes. Continue stirring and mashing the blackberries.
• Place a strainer over a heat-proof bowl and pour the contents of the saucepan through the strainer. Use a rubber spatula to press all the juice out of the berries and then discard the pulp.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge to cool. If you have a swing-top bottle you can pour it in there to keep. The syrup will be good for up to a month kept in the fridge.

For the Cocktail

• In a cocktail shaker, measure out 2 oz of the vanilla blackberry & rosemary simple syrup, 1 1/2 oz of lemon juice, and 1 1/2 oz of rye whiskey. Add ice to the shaker, shake until chilled, and then strain the drink into a lowball glass with an ice sphere. Garnish with fresh blackberries and enjoy!

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