Bluegrass

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (26 ratings)

Serve in a Martini glass

Ingredients:
2 inch Cucumber (fresh)
1 12 oz Bourbon whiskey
34 oz Bittersweet orange-red aperitivo
16 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Martini glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of skewered cucumber roll.
  3. MUDDLE cucumber in base of shaker.
  4. Add other ingredients and SHAKE with ice.
  5. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  6. Garnish with skewered cucumber roll.

Review:

Cucumber and bourbon with a hint of bittersweet orange.

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History:

Created in 2008 by Hayden Lambert at the Merchant Hotel in Belfast, Northern Ireland and named after the bluegrass that grows in Bourbon County, where some of the best horses in the world are bred.

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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11th May at 10:30
I tried with Simple Syrup (1 sugar to 1 water), in my opinion, its enough sweetness for this cocktail. (I think, rich syrup is too much).
Marek Vranka’s Avatar Marek Vranka
27th July 2024 at 22:43
adding sugar seems unnecessary, aperol is sweet enough
28th November 2023 at 02:23
Excellent with either cucumber or just orange slices.
Briana Warsing’s Avatar Briana Warsing
22nd April 2023 at 18:30
This is a little on the sweet side for me. Next time maybe I’ll switch out the aperol for Campari. Do love the muddled cucumber though
Renee Thorpe’s Avatar Renee Thorpe
26th October 2021 at 09:43
Peter Bohrmann Bartender's Guide, which was always a bargain book in America 15 years ago, has this Bluegrass Recipe:
In a shaker, with ice: 1 oz bourbon, 1 oz lemon juice, 3/4 ox lime juice, 1/2 oz blue curacao, 1/2 oz Southern Comfort. Shake, pour into highball glass, garnish w a maraschino cherry and lemon peel. I made this version and it was much like a dry whiskey sour, although more medicinal. Color: cerulean blue (teal). A drop extra of S Comfort improved the flavor. Dry, Boozy
Peter Smith’s Avatar Peter Smith
6th July 2021 at 22:38
Maybe I over muddled, but the cucumber overwhelmed the other flavours. I'll give it another go though, as it was still good.