Looking for a cocktail that’s a little bit fruity, a little bit boozy, and a whole lot of delicious? This Blackberry Bourbon Smash Cocktail is exactly what you need. Perfect for a summer evening or any time you want to impress guests, this cocktail is as easy on the eyes as it is tasty.
Why You’ll Love Blackberry Bourbon Smash
A refreshing drink that’s colorful, sweet and full of summer flavor- what’s not to love!
- Unique Flavor Profile. The combination of blackberry brandy and bourbon creates a rich, complex flavor profile. It’s a bit like a mint julep, but totally upgraded by the blackberry brandy!
- Refreshing and Fruity. Fresh blackberries and lemon juice add a burst of fruity goodness to the cocktail.
- Simple to Make. With just a handful of ingredients and a few easy steps, you can whip up this impressive cocktail in nearly no time.
- Pretty Presentation. Garnished with mint and blackberries, this drink looks stunning and is perfect for entertaining.
Ingredients
Great cocktails start with fabulous ingredients! All you need for this one is a few easy ingredients.
- Fresh Blackberries – These juicy berries add natural sweetness and are also a beautiful garnish.
- Blackberry Brandy – This gives the cocktail a deep, fruity base that’s both sweet and rich. You can buy it at the store or you can make your own blackberry brandy at home by infusing the alcohol with muddled blackberries.
- Bourbon – Bourbon adds robust flavor that works well with the other fruity and bright ingredients. We recommend a high-quality brand like Buffalo Trace, but you can use your favorite bourbon whiskey.
- Simple Syrup – Sweetness balances out the tartness of the lemon juice and brings out the flavor of the fruit and the undertones of the liquors.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Citrus adds a zesty, tangy kick that brightens up the drink.
- Fresh Mint – For garnish, add a pop of color and a refreshing aroma with a sprig of fresh mint leaves.
Variations
Love experimenting with your cocktails? Here are a few fun twists you can try on this blackberry whiskey smash:
- Raspberry – Swap out blackberries for raspberries for a different fruity flavor.
- Herbs – Muddle in some fresh basil or thyme for a spin on the herbal flavor.
- Citrus – Swap out the lemon juice for orange or lime juice.
- Spicy – Add a slice of jalapeño or a dash of cayenne for a bit of heat.
- Carbonation – Add a bit of fizz and spicy, earthy flavor by topping it off with ginger beer or ginger ale, or just impart a bit of neutral fizziness with a splash of club soda. Then just give it a quick stir!
- Sweetener – Use a sugar-free sweetener instead of standard simple syrup. Or, substitute honey.
- Garnish – Add a few lime wedges for extra garnish.
- Fruit – Replace the blackberries with a seasonal fruit.
- Liquor – Swap out the bourbon for another spirit like vodka or gin.
How to Make Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Ready to shake things up? It’s super easy to make this fruity, fun drink!
- Add ice to glasses. Prepare your glasses by filling two highball or scotch glasses halfway with crushed ice.
- Combine ingredients in shaker. Combine all of the ingredients with a few ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
- Shake it up. Shake the cocktail in the shaker vigorously before using a cocktail strainer to strain it into the glasses.
- Garnish. Use a cocktail toothpick to pierce through a few blackberries for garnish before adding a lemon slice and a sprig of mint.
What to Serve With Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Fruity cocktails like this blackberry bourbon smash pair perfectly with a variety of dishes. For an upscale cocktail hour, serve it with stuffed mushrooms or crab cakes. It’s also a great way to refresh at cookouts on hot summer days alongside smoked chicken wings or a juicy steak.
You can also sip this smash with sweets like lemon bars or cheesecake bites. Or, make the smash your dessert all on its own!
Storage and Freezing
To keep your blackberry bourbon smash fresh, store the components separately until you’re ready to serve.
Make Ahead & Pre-Mixing
Prepare the simple syrup and fresh lemon juice ahead of time and keep them in the refrigerator. This makes mixing up a batch of blackberry bourbon smash quick and easy when you’re ready to shake and serve!
You can also make a big batch ahead of time, then pour it into a punch bowl and stir with a wooden spoon before serving.
Can You Freeze a Blackberry Bourbon Smash?
While this cocktail is best enjoyed fresh, you can freeze the blackberry brandy mixture in ice cube trays or resealable freezer bags and just defrost when you’re ready to serve.
Common Questions about Blackberry Bourbon Smash
A smash cocktail often includes ingredients blended with a muddler before being combined with liquor.
Blackberries are the perfect pairing for other fruits, many fresh herbs like thyme and mint, vanilla, and warm spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Macerating blackberries can bring out their flavor, as can just a tiny pinch of salt.
More Fun Cocktails
Planning a summer gathering or just want a delicious pick-me-up? Here are some of our favorite cocktail recipes.
Blackberry Bourbon Smash
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh blackberries , divided
- 2 ounces blackberry brandy
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- fresh mint , for garnish
Instructions
- Fill 2 highball or scotch glasses half way with crushed ice.
- Add 3-4 ice cubes into a cocktail shaker and pour the brandy, bourbon, simple syrup and lemon juice into the shaker. Shake well for 10-15 seconds.
- Using a strainer, pour evenly into prepared highball or scotch glasses.
- Thread 3-4 fresh blackberries onto a cocktail toothpick and garnish with a fresh lemon slice and mint.
- Sip and enjoy.
- If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comment or star ratings.
Nutrition
This blackberry cocktail was SO GOOD! Will mix it up again this weekend.
We really enjoyed this cocktail! So easy to throw together and the blackberry brought such a nice summery note to it.
This was great! Sweet and refreshing.
Oooh this cocktail tastes as good as it looks. Such a great way to use up all the blackberries we picked at the weekend.
Refreshing and delicious drink recipe. Thanks for sharing.