Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been working on acquiring a taste for bourbon. Jon and his friends love it. A few weeks ago, a group of us visited Trion in New Haven and ordered flights of bourbon. The bar boasts 99 bourbons on its menu and flights are $20. I found a few I liked during that visit and have since developed a fondness for the carefully crafted beverage. In my quest to develop a liking for it, I started experimenting with mixers and came up with this concoction. To say I am obsessed is an understatement. I am in love with this drink. It’s perfect for a warm spring night spent on the front porch.

Ingredients

• 6 raspberries
• 2 ounces bourbon
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce lavender simply syrup (recipe below)
• 2 ounces club soda

Preparation

Muddle 5 raspberries in a shaker, then add ice, bourbon, lemon juice and lavender simple syrup. Shake and strain over ice and stir in club soda. Garnish with another raspberry.

Lavender Simple Syrup 

Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon lavender

Preparation

In a large pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring until all of the sugar dissolves. Allow to cool. Pour through a strainer to remove the lavender.