'Sage Advice': A Cinnamon & Sage Cocktail with Bourbon

Name: Sage Advice: A Winter-y Bourbon Cinnamon & Sage Cocktail
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 fresh sage leaves; 2 ounces of good bourbon (I like around 90 proof for this recipe); 3/4 ounce of cinnamon sage demerara simple syrup (see easy recipe in post, takes 5 minutes); 3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice; 1 egg white, ideally room temperature (optional); Optional garnish: sage leaf

Because the weather just will NOT cooperate, and insists on pretending it should still be winter (let go already!!), I’m sneaking in one last winter bourbon drink.

What this sage whiskey cocktail delivers is basically a winter-y version of a whiskey sour that brings in both spiced and herbal notes, and then tipping over close to daiquiri with the substitution of lime juice instead of the traditional lemon.

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Even though herbaceous cocktails have been all the rage the last couple years, I feel like you don’t see cocktails with sage as often.

Personally, I think that’s because sage can be QUITE strong, and it’s so pungent (and can almost feel musty if used incorrectly), that people are scared of it. But when sage is paired correctly and used with a light hand, it’s so delightful and cozy!

I tried this the original recipe’s way (simply muddling and shaking the fresh sage), and it was fine but I found it a bit lacking in flavor.

So in this recipe I’ve steeped sage with the cinnamon stick in the simple syrup (and elevated that with demerara sugar) AS WELL AS muddling the fresh sage. And that was exactly what it needed.

So now I give you the “Sage Advice”!

I do strongly recommend using the egg white in this cocktail, because it adds a major textural element. But if you’re completely freaked out by that, it’s okay to leave out (also, you could try using aquafaba instead).

If using the egg white, put in the shaker and do a 10-15 second “dry” (a.k.a. no ice) shake with it first. Then add the 3 sage leaves and the sage cinnamon syrup to the cocktail shaker and use a muddler to lightly crush the sage.

Add the lime juice and bourbon and shake everything for 10-15 seconds.

THEN, add a bunch of ice and shake until chilled (at least 15 seconds, I recommend 20-30).

Double strain (a.k.a. through the shaker AND through a fine mesh sieve, to avoid tiny green bits in your cocktail) into a coupe glass and garnish with a sage leaf (if you feel like it).

You’re not going to get punched in the face with sage flavor, and that’s exactly the point here…sage can be so overpowering that it would be unpleasant (to me, at least).

But the combined warm cinnamon and pungent sage provide a lovely herbal balance to the acidity of the lime juice, toffee notes of the demerara simple syrup, and boozy hit of the bourbon.

I think a 90 proof whiskey is about perfect—less than that, you won’t taste it, and more than 100 will make the sage disappear. A rye would be great here as well.

This sage cocktail has been my consolation prize for the colder-than-normal early spring, and will be perfect over the next month or two before the heat waves take over!

Other spiced & herbaceous cocktails you’ll love:

‘Sage Advice’: Cinnamon & Sage Whiskey Cocktail

Sage Cinnamon Demerara Simple Syrup

1/2 cup of water
1/2 cup of demerara sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
2-3 large sage leaves

Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat. Make sure the sugar fully dissolves in the water. Add the cinnamon sticks.

Stirring frequently, bring the mixture to a strong simmer, right at a light boil (but not rolling).

Remove from the heat and add the sage leaves. Stir briefly, then let sit for around 10-15 minutes (longer is fine as well). Then strain out the cinnamon sticks and sage leaves, and store the syrup in the fridge for up to a month.

Making the cocktail

3 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces of good bourbon (I like around 90 proof for this recipe)
3/4 ounce of cinnamon sage demerara simple syrup (see notes/full recipe in post)
3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 egg white, ideally room temperature (optional)
Optional garnish: sage leaf

If using the egg white (which I strongly recommend!), put it in the shaker and do a 10-15 second dry shake with it first.
Then add the 3 sage leaves and the sage cinnamon syrup to the cocktail shaker and use a muddler to lightly crush the sage.
Add the lime juice and bourbon and shake everything for 10-15 seconds.
Finally, add a bunch of ice and shake until chilled (at least 15 seconds, I recommend 20-30).
Double strain (a.k.a. through the shaker and through a fine mesh sieve, to avoid tiny green bits) into a coupe glass and garnish with a sage leaf.

Adapted slightly from Punch

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Sage Advice: A Winter-y Bourbon Cinnamon & Sage Cocktail

Yield: 1 cocktail

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

This delicious cinnamon & sage cocktail is a winter-y twist on a whiskey sour, made with an easy cinnamon-sage simple syrup, bourbon, & lemon juice, along with some fresh sage (and I have tips on easy & awesome egg white foam!). It's super easy to make, an easy bourbon cocktail for any time of year!

Ingredients

3 fresh sage leaves
2 ounces of good bourbon (I like around 90 proof for this recipe)
3/4 ounce of cinnamon sage demerara simple syrup (see easy recipe in post, takes 5 minutes)
3/4 ounce of freshly squeezed lime juice
1 egg white, ideally room temperature (optional)
Optional garnish: sage leaf

Instructions

If using the egg white (which I strongly recommend!), put it in the shaker and do a 10-15 second dry shake with it first.
Then add the 3 sage leaves and the sage cinnamon syrup to the cocktail shaker and use a muddler to lightly crush the sage.
Add the lime juice and bourbon and shake everything for 10-15 seconds.
Finally, add a bunch of ice and shake until chilled (at least 15 seconds, I recommend 20-30).
Double strain (a.k.a. through the shaker and through a fine mesh sieve, to avoid tiny green bits) into a coupe glass and garnish with a sage leaf.

Notes

I do strongly recommend using the egg white in this cocktail, because it adds a major textural element. But if you're completely freaked out by that, it's okay to leave out (also, you could try using aquafaba instead).