With spring weather in full swing and the country beginning to poke its nose out of quarantine, some bright and sunny cocktails are exactly what’s needed to make up for the time spent inside.
So we turned to Bourbon on Rye in Lexington, Kentucky, where Managing Partner Chris Evans whipped us up a fresh, simple drink showcasing the latest Pinhook Rye. While Evans uses only three ingredients to craft the cocktail, he promises its an intricate experience for the palate.
“It’s Pinhook Rye’d on mixed with two ingredients that I’ve been using in a lot of things lately. I’m really a fan of that cap corse – it’s a little tart and bitter to balance the sweet, and the dry curaçao is whimsical but unbelievably complex,” says Evans.
Best of all, they can still stand up to the rye whiskey. “This Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey brims with aromas of peach, spearmint, and cinnamon, which lead to a palate of cherry, toffee, and clove,” says the brand. Pinhook does their distilling at Castle & Key, and this 2-year-old rye is the first look at what’s coming off the still at what was once the Old Taylor Distillery.
Evans finds that younger ryes like this one play perfectly in cocktails, especially in the springtime. “Young ryes are really bright and alive and exciting, and these ingredients really enhance that,” he tells us. Read on to Rye’d On!
Rye’d On, Rye’d On, Rye’d On
2 oz. Pinhook Rye’d On
.75oz. Cap Corse
.5oz Dry Curaçao
Pour ingredients over ice, stir and strain into Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Bourbon on Rye has stayed busy through COVID-19, offering cocktail kits to go for curbside guests, as well as a variety of popular menu items like their sliders, perfectly seasoned fries, and more. While they’ve only been open a couple years, their vast bourbon offerings, barrel picks, and cocktail program earned them a spot on our list of America’s Best Bourbon Bars.
“As bourbon has gained in popularity and the world has learned our little secret here in Kentucky, it’s gotten really competitive,” says Evans. “I think little nods like being named one of America’s Best Bourbon Bars mean a lot more nowadays, because everyone is a lot more into bourbon. To be listed as someone who knows what they’re talking about – that means a lot.”
