Bourbon and Orange Smash Recipe

This week has felt like spring is really here to stay… I love it! There a slight chill in the mornings but then the afternoon brings sun and warmth, the kind that makes it hard to sit still at work, knowing it’s so dang lovely outside. Well, it’s almost the weekend and hopefully you don’t have to be tucked away inside an office. A friend sent me a recipe for this drink, which can be made in bulk, and I think it would be perfect for a backyard barbecue or a sneaky boozy picnic. It’s that dangerous sort of drink that goes down smooth, with just a hint of booziness.

Cheers, to Spring finally sticking around!

Orange and bourbon smash
adapted from Real Simple
I’ve included both the original recipe, which is great for a group and my adaptation, for a single, slightly boozier version.

for a single Orange and bourbon smash  cocktail:
orange zest, about 5 thinly sliced strips
1 teaspoon sugar
dash of angostura bitters
2 oz freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 oz bourbon
2 oz soda water, optional

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for a group:
zest of 1 orange, peeled into strips and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sugar (preferably superfine)
1 tablespoon bitters
3 cups fresh orange juice
3 cups club soda
1 1/2 cups bourbon (12 ounces)

1
In a large pitcher or a cocktail shaker (for the single serving), use a wooden spoon to mash the orange zest with the sugar and bitters.
2
Add the orange juice, club soda*, and bourbon and stir to combine.
3
Pour into a glass filled with ice.

*Club soda is optional for the single serve. This can be made up to 6 hours ahead, just reserve the club soda until ready to serve.