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Apple cider bourbon smash over crushed ice in a rocks glass, garnished with a dried apple slice, cinnamon stick, and star anise on a dark background.

Apple Cider Bourbon Smash

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A bourbon smash with fresh apple cider, maple syrup, and lemon, bright and crisp with warm fall depth.

This cocktail is part of our Date Nite collection, made to be sipped while you cook together.​

COCKTAIL RECIPE

Makes 1 cocktail

2 oz bourbon
1 oz fresh lemon juice
3/4 oz maple syrup
2 oz apple cider
2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
Apple slices and cinnamon stick, for garnish

Add the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup, apple cider, and bitters to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass and garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

NOTES FROM THE BAR

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FRESH APPLE CIDER

Whenever possible, use fresh apple cider for the richest flavor. Look for the cloudy, unfiltered kind in the refrigerated section of the produce aisle. It has more body and apple depth than shelf-stable cider.


SWEETNESS LEVEL

Depending on how sweet your apple cider is, you may want to start with 1/2 oz of maple syrup and adjust if needed.


MAPLE DEPTH

Maple syrup adds cozy fall character without making the drink overly sweet. A little goes a long way to round out the bourbon and cider.


DRIED APPLE GARNISH

We love the look of a dried apple slice for this one, especially in fall. It holds up better than fresh and gives the glass a more styled, seasonal feel. A fresh apple slice works too if that’s what you have on hand. → Shop our favorite dried apple slices

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JUST RELEASED

30 OF OUR MOST-LOVED COCKTAILS, GATHERED INTO ONE COLLECTION

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A COCKTAIL COLLECTION

30 COCKTAILS WORTH MAKING AGAIN

The cocktails we come back to most, gathered into one beautiful PDF, with six new recipes created exclusively for the collection.

80 pages · 24 favorites · 6 exclusive recipes · 13 house-made components

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A RITUAL WE RETURN TO

Our cocktails are part of something bigger for us. They’re the beginning of Date Nite, a connection-centered experience we created to help you slow down, share a meal, and enjoy time with the one you love.

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Each Date Nite is thoughtfully planned for you, so you are not stuck deciding what to cook or how to pull the night together. We pair one cocktail with a complete menu, a simple flow from prep to plate, and small details that make the evening feel easy and connected from start to finish.

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It is not about perfection. It is about presence, and creating space to reconnect, whether that is with your partner or simply with yourself, over a really good meal.

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WE CREATED THIS FOR YOU AND THE ONE YOU LOVE
Kevin & Kate

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