While on my whiskey quest, I couldn’t help but notice the spicy, woodsy notes in the spirits themselves, as well as in the distillery barrel rooms. I thought these would pair beautifully with the jasmine flowers that perfume much of our area in winter. The fresh pomegranate grenadine uses less sugar than you’d expect to find in a fruit syrup. I lightly caramelized the sugar-herb mixture, a technique that delivers a richer, less sugar-forward taste.
Sonoma Distilling Co.’s Rye Whiskey emphasizes deep earthy and woodsy tones, with lots of spice and pepper. The perfumed nature of the syrup, blended with the warm complexities of the whiskey, produces a super sultry vibe. I can’t decide if I want to drink this, or bathe in it!
Ingredients
- ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and pod reserved
- 30 fresh jasmine flowers
- 8 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon cracked white pepper
- ½ cup raw sugar
- ½ cup boiling water
- 1½ cups fresh pomegranate juice (I use a citrus stand squeezer, juicing the pomegranate like an orange or grapefruit)
- 2 ounces rye whiskey
- 1 ounce Pomegranate Jasmine Grenadine
- ½ ounce fresh lemon juice
- Bacon Tobacco Bitters
- Rose Petal Bitters
- Sage leaf
- Jasmine flowers
Preparation
FOR THE POMEGRANATE JASMINE GRENADINE
Combine the vanilla bean seeds and pod, jasmine flowers, sage, zests, pepper and sugar in a small, shallow bowl. Using your fingers, pulverize all of the ingredients together—you will need to use firm pressure to ensure the jasmine and sage are well broken down.
Place the sugar mixture in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar begins to melt. Do not allow to brown. Gently pour in the boiling water and continue to stir. Once the sugar is fully dissolved, after about a minute, add the pomegranate juice and bring to a boil. Let boil for 2 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes more. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the grenadine to cool completely.
Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the liquid into a clean vessel. Press down on the solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the solids and place the liquid in the refrigerator until ready to use.
FOR EACH SULTRY WHISKEY FLOWER
Combine the whiskey, Pomegranate Jasmine Grenadine, lemon juice and Bacon Tobacco Bitters in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for about 60 seconds, then strain into a coupe-style glass. Add a few drops of Rose Petal Bitters and garnish with a sage leaf or a few jasmine flowers.
