This cocktail is inspired by a drink I had in Tofino, on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. It was at a restaurant called Wolf in the Fog. They had a signature cocktail called Cedar Sour, and it was made with cedar infused rye. The cedar flavour in the drink was subtle, but it totally captured the atmosphere of being in Tofino.
So, we used the same technique they did to create a Mesquite infused rye, in the hopes of capturing the essence of summer, and most of all, BBQ season. It was actually the perfect cocktail to serve during our backyard BBQ this week. Luckily, I found the recipe for the Cedar Sour in an interview the bartender did was a magazine called Scout, and was able to takes some notes. We swapped rye for bourbon and the cedar for mesquite chips, but otherwise it stayed the same.
For the Mesquite-Infused Bourbon:
- 2 cups of Mesquite wood chips
- 26 oz of Bourbon (we used Wild Turkey, it’s best not to choose anything with too much flavour because you’ll want the Mesquite to stand out)
- Large mason jar
- Coffee filter
- 1 tbs of salt
For the cocktail:
- 1 oz Mesquite-infused bourbon
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz peach purée (we made this by taking an entire can of peaches in fruit juice and throwing it in the blender until smooth)
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Splash of vanilla (roughly a 1/4 tsp)
For the Mesquite-Infused Bourbon:
Soak the Mesquite woodchips in warm salt water for 20 minutes. Then soak in fresh water for another 20 minutes to remove any saltiness from the wood.
In a large mason jar combine the wood chips with the bottle of bourbon. Seal the container and store it in a cool dark place for six days. Pass the bourbon through the coffee filter to remove any remaining wood particles.
For the cocktail:
Combine the Mesquite-infused bourbon, lemon juice, peach puree, simple syrup and vanilla in a cocktail shaker with ice. Add crushed ice to a rock glass, and pour the contents of the cocktail shaker – excluding the ice – into the glass. Cheers.
