This summer, Garden & Gun and Blade and Bow invite you to join us for a series of virtual happy hours hosted by G&G editors, expert mixologists, and friends of the magazine, each serving up their bourbon cocktail of choice. 

Every Wednesday morning, check Garden & Gun’s Instagram story for a reveal of the week’s cocktail, as well as the ingredients you’ll need to follow along at home. Then at 5 p.m. that evening, tune back in to @gardenandgun on Instagram or Facebook for a virtual happy hour, where the host will share their recipe, along with tips, tricks, and stories. 

After each happy hour, the cocktail recipes can be found on this page, ready for any-time mixing with your crew at home, neighbors on your front porch, or faraway friends at another virtual gathering. However you partake, we can’t wait to share a drink with you. 

WEEK 4:
Venita Aspen’s
Mint Julep

This Charleston native writes a popular lifestyle blog, and has hands-on experience in the fashion, modeling, and creative sectors. Here, she shares her favorite way to make a mint julep.

Ingredients
1½ oz. Blade and Bow bourbon
1 tsp. Demerara syrup
10–12 sprigs mint
Ice

Preparation
Add 8–10 mint leaves to a julep cup and gently muddle to express the oils. Add the Demerara syrup and Blade and Bow bourbon. Top off with crushed ice and garnish with a mint sprig. 

Shop strainers, jiggers, and reusable straws at ggfieldshop.com to recreate this cocktail.

WEEK 3:
Charles Hunter III’s
Peach-Lemon Shaker

The Nashville-based personal chef and blogger makes a smooth cocktail that blends Blade and Bow bourbon with a silky peach puree, a burst of fresh lemon, and a refreshing sprig of mint.

Ingredients
1½ oz. Blade and Bow bourbon
1½ oz. peach puree
1 tsp. agave
Juice from 2 lemon wedges
Ice
1 sprig mint for garnish

Preparation

Add Blade and Bow bourbon, peach puree, agave, lemon juice, and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds.

Pour into a chilled lowball glass topped off with ice (or use an ice sphere). Garnish with a sprig of mint and a squeeze of lemon.

 

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@bladeandbowwhiskey and G&G present the third edition of our month-long series of happy hours with today’s host, Charles Hunter III (@thesaltedtable), a Nashville-based personal chef and blogger. Tune in as he mixes up a Peach-Lemon Shaker—made with Blade and Bow bourbon, silky peach puree, a burst of fresh lemon, and a refreshing sprig of mint.

A post shared by Garden & Gun (@gardenandgun) on Jul 29, 2020 at 2:10pm PDT

WEEK 2:
Kellie Thorn’s
Daze of Summer

The beverage director at Hugh Acheson Restaurants makes a refreshing summer sipper. 

Ingredients
1½ oz. Blade and Bow bourbon
¾ oz. roasted dandelion honey syrup (recipe follows)
3 blackberries
¼ tsp. sliced fresh ginger
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Blackberry skewered on a rosemary sprig and a lemon wheel for garnish

Preparation

In a cocktail shaker, combine dandelion honey syrup, blackberries, and ginger, and muddle until the blackberries are broken up.

Add lemon juice, Blade and Bow bourbon, and Angostura bitters. Add ice and shake.

Strain into a glass with fresh ice in a double old-fashioned glass.

Garnish with a blackberry speared on an aromatic sprig of rosemary, and a lemon wheel.

For the dandelion honey syrup:

Ingredients
1 part roasted dandelion tea, strongly brewed (For loose dry tea, simmer 2 tablespoons in 8 oz. water for 15 minutes, then strain; if using tea bags, steep 3 in 8 oz. water for 15 minutes, then strain.)
1 part local raw honey (Tip: If using a non-local or raw honey, you many need to adjust the tea-to-honey ratio, as some honey is thinner and would require less tea to get a syrup consistency.)

Preparation
Mix tea and honey together until well incorporated. Bottle and cap; keeps in the refrigerator for two weeks.

 

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@bladeandbowwhiskey and G&G present the second edition of our month-long series of happy hours with today’s host, @Kellie_Thorn, the beverage director at Hugh Acheson Restaurants. Tune in as she crafts a refreshing summer sipper: the Daze of Summer—using bourbon, fresh fruit, and homemade dandelion honey syrup.

A post shared by Garden & Gun (@gardenandgun) on Jul 22, 2020 at 2:01pm PDT

WEEK 1:
David DiBenedetto’s
New Fashioned 

The Garden & Gun editor in chief’s sip of choice is a simple, no-prep take on the classic old fashioned, brightened with a refreshing splash of elderflower. 

Ingredients
1½ oz. Blade and Bow bourbon
¾ oz. elderflower liqueur
Splash of soda
Orange slice and cocktail cherry for garnish

Preparation

Combine bourbon, elderflower liqueur, and ice.

Stir and top with a splash of soda.

Garnish with an orange slice and brandied cherry.

 

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A post shared by Garden & Gun (@gardenandgun) on Jul 15, 2020 at 2:00pm PDT