In this week's COTW: We're kicking off summer with a smoky-sweet bourbon cocktail that harnesses the magic of your backyard grill to transform a classic whiskey sour into the ultimate companion for your barbecue feast.
After exploring our garden party sippers throughout May, we're heating things up for June with our new series: "Barbecue & Bourbon" – cocktails designed to pair perfectly with your outdoor grilling adventures. When the smoke starts rising from barbecues across town, these drinks will complement those bold, charred flavors coming off your grill.
THE COCKTAIL:
Today's feature is the "Grilled Peach Whiskey Sour" – a seasonal twist on the classic whiskey sour that incorporates the caramelized sweetness of flame-kissed peaches with the rich warmth of bourbon, brightened by fresh lemon juice and balanced with a touch of honey. This cocktail captures everything we love about summer cooking – it's approachable yet sophisticated, with a perfect balance of sweet, sour, smoky, and spirit.
Grilled Peach Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
- Bourbon (2 oz per cocktail): Choose a bourbon with enough backbone to stand up to the grilled peach flavors without overwhelming them. I recommend something in the 90-100 proof range with caramel and vanilla notes. Maker's Mark works beautifully with its wheated sweetness, but Buffalo Trace or Four Roses Small Batch are excellent alternatives. The bourbon provides a strong foundation with notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel that complement the grilled fruit perfectly.
- Grilled Peach Purée (1 oz per cocktail): This is our star ingredient. Select firm but ripe freestone peaches (the variety where the pit releases easily from the flesh). For a batch serving 6-8 cocktails, you'll need about 4 medium peaches. The grilling process caramelizes the natural sugars in the peaches and adds a subtle smokiness that elevates this cocktail beyond an ordinary whiskey sour.
- Fresh Lemon Juice (¾ oz per cocktail): Always use freshly squeezed juice for the brightest flavor. The acidity balances the sweetness of the peaches and honey while adding a refreshing zing that makes this perfect for summer sipping.
- Honey (½ oz per cocktail): Local wildflower honey adds complexity and connects the cocktail to the season. The floral notes complement the fruit beautifully, and honey pairs exceptionally well with both bourbon and peaches. For easier mixing, create a honey syrup by combining equal parts honey and hot water, stirring until dissolved.
- Garnish Options: Grilled peach slice, fresh thyme sprig, or a lemon wheel.
- Ice: Both for shaking and serving.
Instructions
- Prepare the Grilled Peach Purée:
- Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (about 375-400°F).
- Cut peaches in half and remove pits.
- Brush the cut sides lightly with neutral oil to prevent sticking.
- Place peaches cut-side down on the grill and cook for 3-4 minutes until they develop nice grill marks and begin to soften.
- Flip and grill for another 2-3 minutes on the skin side.
- Remove from grill and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Remove the skins (they should slip off easily after grilling) and roughly chop the peaches.
- Purée in a blender until smooth. If the peaches weren't quite ripe enough, you can add an extra teaspoon of honey to the purée.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a smoother texture.
- Refrigerate until chilled before using.
For Each Cocktail:
- Add 2 ounces bourbon, ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice, 1 ounce grilled peach purée, and ½ ounce honey syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until well-chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice (preferably one large cube).
- Garnish with a thin grilled peach slice and a sprig of fresh thyme if desired.
GLASSWARE:
A rocks glass (also called an Old Fashioned glass) is ideal for this cocktail. Its wide mouth allows the aromas to reach your nose as you sip, enhancing the experience of the grilled peach notes. If you're feeling fancy, a coupe glass also works beautifully for a more elegant presentation.
PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
This cocktail was designed specifically to complement grilled foods. It pairs exceptionally well with:
- Barbecued pork ribs with a sweet and tangy sauce
- Grilled chicken with peach barbecue glaze
- Cedar plank salmon
- Grilled corn on the cob with herb butter
The caramelized notes from the grilled peaches echo the charred flavors from the grill, while the acidity from the lemon juice helps cut through richer barbecued meats.
VARIATIONS:
- For a touch of heat, add a thin slice of jalapeño to the shaker before mixing.
- For a more herbaceous version, muddle a sprig of rosemary or thyme in the shaker before adding the other ingredients.
- For a non-alcoholic version, replace the bourbon with strong brewed black tea and a few dashes of aromatic bitters (most bitters contain alcohol but in such small amounts that the drink is still considered non-alcoholic).
HISTORY & FUN FACTS:
The whiskey sour dates back to at least the 1860s and was traditionally made with whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar. It's one of America's oldest cocktails, believed to have evolved from punch recipes. Sailors in the British Navy would drink citrus juice to prevent scurvy during long voyages, and they often mixed it with rum or whiskey – giving birth to the basic sour formula.
The egg white often found in traditional whiskey sours became popular in the 1920s as a way to create a silky texture and frothy top. Our version omits this ingredient in favor of the rich texture provided by the peach purée.
Grilling fruit for cocktails is relatively modern but builds on the ancient tradition of cooking fruit to intensify its sweetness. The caramelization process creates new flavor compounds that aren't present in raw fruit – particularly furanones and pyrazines, which give grilled foods their distinctive aroma and taste.
Bourbon, America's native spirit, pairs particularly well with peaches due to shared flavor compounds. The vanillin present in bourbon (which comes from aging in charred oak barrels) forms a natural bridge to the lactones in peaches, creating a harmonious flavor profile when combined.
CLOSING:
The Grilled Peach Whiskey Sour is summer in a glass – combining the best of the season's produce with America's native spirit in a refreshing cocktail that's perfect for your backyard barbecue. It's a wonderful way to use those extra peaches when they're at their peak ripeness, and the grilling process adds another dimension that makes this cocktail truly special
As always I am open to hear your take and your input. You can reach me at [email protected]
Reminder: As always, enjoy responsibly and designate a driver if you're out and about sampling these delightful creations.