Bourbon Cocktail: Need More Derby

Name: Bourbon Cocktail: Need More Derby
Yield: 10
Cuisine: American

Recipe: Alonzo Freeman , The Royal , Washington, D.C.

Photo: Brittany Carlson/Julep PR

A peppery orange and peppercorn syrup adds layers of sweetness and spice to this whiskey-based drink.

In this ode to the Kentucky Derby, bourbon bolsters a sweet and spicy mix of cataloupe, lemon, and orange-szechuan syrup.

Ingredients

1½ oz. bourbon
1½ oz. fresh cantaloupe juice
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. orange-szechuan syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
fresh mint

Tools:muddler, barspoon
Garnishes:mint
Glass:hurricane

Preparation

Add the mint to your glass and muddle gently. Add the liquid ingredients and stir with enough crushed ice to fill the glass three-quarters full. Add more crushed ice, then garnish with a mint sprig.

Orange-Szechuan Syrup: Simmer 1 cup of water and 1 cup of raw sugar over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. Reduce the heat, add the zest of 4 small oranges and 1 Tbsp. of Szechuan peppercorns, then cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Let cool and strain. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.