The Ultimate Summer Bourbon Sour: The Solstice Sour Recipe

Welcome to Episode 76 of Thirsty Thursday Cocktails on Your Bourbon Journey! 

Tonight, we are celebrating the official arrival of summer with the Solstice Sour—a deep, complex, and refreshing Amaro-Sour hybrid. If you are ready to move away from overly sweet, bright orchard fruit drinks and step into a sophisticated, highly structured cocktail that stays crisp on hot June nights, this is the pour for yourself.

In this video, we split the base between an incredible high-proof bourbon and a world-class Italian amaro. We are anchoring this expanded build with a full two ounces of Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel (the 7-Year expression), giving the drink an amazing backbone, seasoned oak notes, and a velvety mouthfeel. We pair that punchy proof with Amaro Montenegro, which weaves in a lower-proof botanical complexity of bitter orange peel, coriander, and soft vanilla to mirror a perfect summer sunset. Balanced with fresh squeezed lemon juice, rich Demerara syrup, and dark stone-fruit plum bitters, this spirit-forward cocktail finishes incredibly long, complex, and completely dry.

Grab a bottle of OGD 114, press some fresh citrus, and mix this up tonight. 

Cheers to welcoming summer in all its glory!

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📋 The Solstice Sour Recipe & Ingredients

  • 2 oz Straight Bourbon Whiskey (Featured: Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel 7-Year)
  • 0.75 oz Amaro Montenegro
  • 0.50 oz Fresh Lemon Juice (Always test your lemons for tartness!)
  • 0.50 oz Demerara Syrup
  • 3 Dashes Fee Brothers Plum Cocktail Bitters
  • Garnish: Skewered Luxardo Cherry

🛠️ Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Combine: Add the bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, fresh lemon juice, Demerara syrup, and plum bitters directly into your cocktail shaking tin.
  2. Shake: Add clean, hard ice and shake vigorously for 15 to 20 seconds until well-chilled and aerated.
  3. Serve: Strain the cocktail over a single large, clear ice ball into a double rocks glass.
  4. Garnish: Express fresh lemon oils over the rim (discard the peel), top with a skewered Luxardo cherry, and enjoy!

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

NOTE: The spirits and items in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the producers for this review. 

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The Roman Holiday: A Dark & Herbaceous Rye Masterpiece

A Midnight Stroll in Italy: The Roman Holiday Cocktail (Ep. 59)

Transport your palate to a midnight stroll through an Italian piazza with The Roman Holiday. In this episode of Thirsty Thursday Cocktails, we are closing out February with “The Sophisticated Finish”—a dark, roasted, and herbaceous masterpiece.

This complex build features the incredible Hard Truth Chocolate Malt Rye, a whiskey distilled from chocolate malted barley that delivers deep cocoa notes without the sweetness. We pair this with the “Spirit of Italy,” Amaro Montenegro, and the powerhouse J. Rieger Caffè Amaro for a botanical, espresso-forward backbone. Topped with exotic cardamom bitters and a bright lemon expression, this is the ultimate nightcap for any whiskey lover.

Whether you’re a fan of the Black Manhattan or looking for a new way to use your Amaro collection, this cocktail is a showstopper.

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The Recipe: The Roman Holiday

Glassware: Nick & Nora or Coupe 

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Hard Truth Chocolate Malt Rye
  • 0.5 oz J. Rieger Caffè Amaro
  • 0.5 oz Amaro Montenegro
  • 2 dashes Cardamom Bitters
  • Garnish: Large lemon twist

Instructions:

  1. Stir: Combine the rye, both Amaros, and bitters in a mixing glass with plenty of ice.
  2. Chill: Stir for 25 seconds until very cold and properly diluted.
  3. Strain: Strain into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
  4. Garnish: Express a wide lemon twist over the surface to brighten the coffee notes, then trim and drop in.

🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨

NOTE: The spirits and items in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the producers for this review. Please drink responsibly.

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