If you love Bourbon, yet aren’t a sparkling wine kind of person like me, this is the cocktail for you! The aperol spritz became the trendy drink a few years back, but I personally didn’t catch onto it because I’ve never been a sparkling wine fan. Bourbon on the other hand has grown on me since I moved to Kentucky 9 years ago.
I became curious about Aperol only because I kept hearing about it and then I kept seeing it at my local Costco, so I had to give it a try. Instead of giving it the classic popular try with Prosecco, I decided to mix it with vodka and then bourbon with the addition of club soda or sparkling water; whichever I had on hand. While messing around with mixes, bourbon won!
That is how my very own bourbon spritz or aperol bourbon cocktail, however you want to call it came about. It’s just a smooth, refreshing and delicious drink; perfect for a hot summer day or a relaxing fall day as the temps start to cool down. This has become one of my new favorite go to cocktail recipes.
What is Aperol?
Aperol is a botanical bitter orange-colored apertif. Per Aperol.com, it’s an “Italian bitter apéritif infused with orange, gentian, chinchona, and an array of other herbs and spices. It’s one of the amaro family of spirit-based, bitter drinks.” Ok, so it breaks some of my “personal rules” on what I ingest and promote. Unfortunately, it does have some artificial food coloring, as I suspected, given the color, but as with anything…in moderation, I’m ok with it.
How to Make this Bourbon Aperol Cocktail
The delicious cocktail is easy as can be. You don’t have to have any barkeeping experience to make this Aperol cocktail in minutes. This drink just consists of 3 main components: Bourbon, Aperol and sparkling water, with just a splash of lemon juice.
Just fill a cocktail glass about 3/4 full with your favorite ice, cubes or spheres. Add 1 1/2 oz. of bourbon, then 3/4 oz. of Aperol. Top with sparkling water or club soda. Add a splash of lemon juice and a garnish and you’re good to go. No cocktail shaker or fancy glassware needed. This might sound similar to a paper plane cocktail, but the difference would be Amaro liquor (another Italian botanical liqueur) which this does not have.
Bourbon Aperol Cocktail Ingredients
- Bourbon- I am biased since I live in Kentucky, so prefer a Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey and I have many local distilleries I like to support. For those of you elsewhere, you can grab Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Maker’s Mark or such for your boozy drink.
- Aperol- This citrus flavored Italian aperitif is a little bitter, but gives the cocktail a little edge on flavor and looks. With citrus notes, bitter Aperol makes this drink feel like a perfect summer cocktail. It’s light, fresh tasting and just makes for an extra special drink.
- Sparkling Water- Club soda or your favorite sparkling or seltzer water is great. Just to give you some bubbles!
- Lemon Juice- Fresh lemon juice is perfect for this cocktail, but lime juice is fine too in a pinch.
- Garnish- Whatever you have handy that is citrusy and attractive is ideal. You can do lemon or orange twists, wedges or slices. Also, if you want to get really fancy and don’t mind a little extra sweetness, a candied orange slice is fun and tasty! I get mine from Trader Joe’s. Not necessary, but just fun and makes the cocktail feel extra special.
Bourbon Aperol Cocktail (Spritz sans Prosecco)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Bourbon
- .75 oz. Aperol
- Splash Lemon Juice
- Club Soda or Sparkling Water
- Garnish Orange or Lemon Slice
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail glass about 3/4 full with your favorite type of ice; cubes, crushed or spheres. Â Â
- Add 1 1/2 oz. of bourbon, then 3/4 oz. of Aperol.
- Top with sparkling water or club soda.
- Â Add a splash of lemon juice and a garnish of lemon or orange if you so choose to.
- Start sipping and enjoy!
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