Dark and rich maple syrup, tangy citrus-y lime juice, and a good amount of smooth whiskey. You’ll love sipping this maple bourbon sour! Perfectly balanced, great for drinking by the fire or on a hot summer’s day, and takes just 5 minutes to shake one up. What are you waiting for?
Hello, all!
I have to admit that testing cocktails is one of my favorite things about this job. (And probably number one for my husband! 😉 ) So, as soon as I took the photos of my frozen mango daiquiri, I thought ‘I need to develop a fall cocktail!!’
Fall Cocktails
It didn’t take me long to settle on a bourbon drink, as I love it and I especially love it in the cooler months of the year, but what to make?
That’s when I remembered a wonderful maple lime daiquiri I had a while back while out to eat. It was sweet, but not too sweet, sour in the just the right amount, and I realized it would be a great way to twist the classic bourbon sour just a little.
And do you know what else is amazing about the maple/lime combination? It tastes like apples! 🍎🍏
Honestly. You get a hint of tart apple as you sip the drink which makes it even better for a fall cocktail. I mean really. It’s like it was meant to be.
What do you need?
- Bourbon – See below for a section on how to pick the right one.
- Maple Syrup – I like a dark syrup, but just make sure it is 100% maple.
- Lime – I find 1/2 a lime for a drink is just right.
- Bitters – These last a long time and are well worth buying!
How to make this
To make a maple bourbon sour mix together bourbon with lime juice, maple syrup, and bitters. Shake with ice, then pour into an ice filled glass.
- Pour in 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon.
- Pour in 1/2 ounce of maple syrup.
- Squeeze in 1/2 ounce of lime juice.
- Add a couple of drops of bitters.
- Shake with ice and strain into a glass.
Though I love a fancy craft cocktail as much as anyone (and more than some!), this drink uses all easy to find ingredients which you probably already have in your pantry/fridge and is a perfect recipe to make when you want some thing both simple and satisfying.
best bourbon for a sour?
There are a TON of wonderful bourbons out there these days from very basic to very fancy. I personally would pick a whiskey which is in the middle somewhere. Nothing too fancy since it will be mixed in the drink, but nothing too basic either since the bourbon is the main flavor in the cocktail.
A few of my favorites which are wonderful when enjoyed by themselves but aren’t too precious to use in a mixed drink are:
- Buffalo Trace
- Bulleit
- Knob Creek
- Basil Hayden’s
Each of these are widely available and each would make a great cocktail. As far as which one to chose, it depends on your tastes and what you see at the store.
If you try my recipe for a Maple Lime Bourbon Sour, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! And I’m happy to answer any questions you might have.
– Happy Drinking, Annemarie
Maple Lime Bourbon Sour
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz bourbon
- 1/2 oz maple syrup
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1-2 drops angostura bitters
- ice
Instructions
- Add bourbon, maple syrup, lime, and bitters to a shaker filled with ice. Shake until the drink is well mixed and cold.
- Pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Garnish with a slice a lime if desired.
Michael says
This mix by far has to be the best next to a old fashioned, The sweet and the citrus really has a good kick to it and a couple drinks will have you feeling good!
Bruce says
I had limes, and I had maple syrup so was looking for a bourbon cocktail with both, This more than hit the spot. I’ve had several over the past couple of weeks and loved every one of them. Didn’t change a thing. I was so surprised that the maple worked with the line so well.
Heather Block says
WOW! We were so hesitant to try it because of the lime and the maple syrup being too “maple-y”…but damn..,this is a perfect BALANCE of ever ingredient! We are die-hard old fashioned folks, and I have to admit this has just moved up to the next in line. Great recipe!
Dan says
Wonderful variation on a whiskey sour. Richer in flavor and warming for the fall.
Stephen says
Great recipe but even better with an egg white!