Brown Sugar Bourbon Smash

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A bourbon smash built with brown sugar syrup, fresh lemon, and muddled orange, rounded out with a few dashes of Angostura bitters for depth.

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

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INGREDIENTS

2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz brown sugar syrup, see Notes from the Bar
2 orange wedges
3 dashes Angostura bitters

COCKTAIL METHOD

Muddle the orange wedges with the brown sugar syrup in a shaker.
Add the bourbon, lemon juice, and Angostura bitters.
Fill with ice and shake well.
Strain over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with an orange wheel or expressed orange peel.

Notes from the Bar

Heads up: We may earn a small commission on products we’ve linked here. We only recommend the real-deal favorites from our kitchen.

BROWN SUGAR SYRUP

Combine equal parts brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves completely. Let it cool before using. This makes more than you need for one drink, so store the extra in the fridge for up to two weeks.

WHY THE BITTERS MATTER

Without mint or another aromatic in the mix, this smash needed one more layer to feel intentional rather than just bourbon and sweet citrus. A few dashes of Angostura bring that in without adding any extra sweetness.

GARNISH OPTIONS

An orange wheel gives a fuller, more classic look. An expressed orange peel is quicker and lets the oils hit the nose first, which is what we used for the photo.

ICE MATTERS

Crushed or pebble ice gives this drink its texture and keeps it from getting watered down too fast. If you don't have a way to crush ice, roughly cracked cubes work in a pinch.

Because every drink deserves a beautiful moment.

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.

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.

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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