Burnt Ribbon is a smooth bourbon cocktail with a bold balance of sweet citrus, soft pomegranate richness, and a hint of orange spice. Sweet and sour mix keeps it bright and easy-drinking, while grenadine adds color and rounds the finish. Shaken and served over fresh ice, it is mellow, flavorful, and warm without feeling heavy.
Recipe
- 1.5 oz bourbon
- 2 oz sweet and sour mix
- 1/2 oz grenadine
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Glass
- Double old fashioned glass
How to make
- Add the bourbon, sweet and sour mix, grenadine, and orange bitters to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice.
- Shake well until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into a double old fashioned glass filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with an orange slice, orange wheel, or orange peel, and serve immediately.
Garnish
Garnish with an orange slice for a bright contrast to the drink’s deeper color. For a cleaner presentation, a thin orange wheel or a strip of orange peel expressed over the drink also works well.
Origin
Burnt Ribbon was created as a bourbon-based sour riff built with sweet and sour mix, grenadine, and orange bitters for a smoother, fruit-toned finish. Its name reflects the drink’s deep sunset color and the ribbon-like pull of its layered sweet, citrus, and whiskey notes.
Optional serving note
Best served very cold over fresh ice. This one drinks softer than a sharper whiskey sour, with the grenadine and orange bitters giving it a rounder, more polished finish.