Bourbon Street Smash
Celebrate

Bourbon Street Smash Cocktail Recipe

Mardi Gras is just around the corner, so we thought that a fun, New Orleans-inspired cocktail would be the perfect way to celebrate the occasion. As usual, we turned to none other than the fabulously-talented Colleen Jeffers from the cocktail blog GOOD DRINK for one of her crowd-pleasing creations.

Inspired by one of New Orleans’ most popular desserts, impress your guests this Mardi Gras with a delicious Bourbon Street Smash!

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Bourbon Street Smash

Bourbon Street Smash

  • 2 oz banana-infused bourbon (recipe below)
  • 1 oz banana syrup (recipe below)
  • .5 oz fresh squeezed and strained lemon juice
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • Pinch of salt

Banana-Infused Bourbon

  • Combine 2 cups banana chips with 2 cups bourbon in a container and seal tightly. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 24 hours, stirring occasionally, then strain with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag over a fine mesh sieve.

Banana Syrup

  • Combine 2 cups water, 2 cups cane sugar, and 2 sliced bananas in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours, then strain with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag over a fine mesh sieve. Store in the fridge.

For the Cocktail

1. Cut a 1-inch piece of vanilla bean and muddle it in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.

2. Add ice, bourbon, syrup, lemon, bitters, and salt.

3. Shake hard for 10 seconds, then strain into a glass filled with crushed ice.

4. Top with additional crushed ice and garnish with a freshly-grated cinnamon from a cinnamon stick.

5. Nestle the cinnamon stick in the ice, serve, and enjoy!

Bourbon Street Smash

Tasting Notes
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  • Bourbon Street in New Orleans is the most iconic spot for Mardi Gras revelry.
  • This cocktail is inspired by one of Bourbon Street’s signature dishes: Bananas Foster (but don’t worry, you won’t have to light it on fire!).
  • The cocktail marries rich banana flavor with the caramelized, oaky notes of bourbon and freshly grated cinnamon.
  • The ‘smash’ comes from muddling real vanilla bean in-shaker.
  • Start your bourbon infusion and banana syrup a couple of days before you want to serve your smash, so they’re ready to go when you are.
  • I like to garnish the glass with edible gold flakes to play up the party factor. You can find them online or in specialty stores (just use a food-dedicated paintbrush to carefully place them onto the glass).
  • The tasty cocktail definitely pairs well with King Cake, donuts, and beignets!

Bourbon Street Smash

Bourbon Street Smash

 

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Colleen Jeffers

 

 

Colleen Jeffers is a cocktail stylist, photographer, and recipe developer based in Portland, OR. Find her simple, seasonal recipes on the @colljeffers feed or the Good Drink blog.

 

 

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