New York-based mixologist Brian Miller riffs on the gin-based 20th Century by using bourbon instead of gin and Lillet Rouge instead of Lillet Blanc. This ruby toned cocktail is a bourbon-gem.
What Makes This Cocktail 19th Century?
Use of the term “bourbon” as a specific type of whiskey began to gain recognition in the 19th century. While it was likely being produced in the late 18th century, it wasn’t until the 1800s that bourbon became associated with a specific style of whiskey, particularly in Kentucky. Gin overtook bourbon by the time the roaring ’20s came around, but for a time, it represented American drinking culture, particularly in the South and West. It became a drink of choice because of its growing availability and popularity. But you can still toast to the past with this 19th century cocktail.

19th Century Cocktail
Description
A throwback cocktail…for way back.
Ingredients
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ¾ oz Marie Brizard white crème de cacao
- ¾ oz lillet rouge
- 1 ½ oz Woodford Reserve bourbon A t
Instructions
- Shake and strain into a coupe
- Garnish with an orange peel or slice
Recipe by Brian Miller
Photography by Michael Markland
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