Ever since I discovered that Maker’s Mark was gluten-free, I’ve been drinking a lot more of it. As the weather cools down, bourbon just seems like the right choice. After all, it’s a lot less likely to permanently stain your pale green bridesmaid’s dress than a glass of red wine when you inevitably miss your mouth and pour it all over yourself.
A few weeks ago I was up at my friend Sophie’s wedding in Maine. When I wasn’t sipping red wine in motor boats in the middle of the lake (yes, I spilled), I was drinking my new favorite drink: the BLT Cocktail. The ingredients for this body warming concoction are so simple, it’s really kind of sad that I’m giving you a recipe. If you’re ordering it at a bar, just ask for a bourbon and tonic with a splash of lemon juice.
The BLT Cocktail is traditionally made with Bulleit bourbon, but I’ve of course only had it with Makers. Since Sophie served hot toddy’s in mason jars during her ceremony, I also recommend this as the best receptacle for your BLT.
I’m just back from another amazing destination wedding weekend in Ireland. I was too scared to offend the bar tender by ordering non-Irish whiskey, so I stuck with “The Thomas,” named after the groom, which was basically a gin negroni with cucumber. I would replicate that one here too, but I had one too many Thomases to be able to look at one again for some time.
Since it’s Monday morning, most of you are probably yearning for a cocktail right about now. So…bottoms up! The weekend’s only 100 hours away.
Xo
Phoebe
BLT Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Bourbon
- 1/2 cup Tonic Water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Ice
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the bourbon, tonic, and lemon juice in a class over ice. Taste and add more tonic as desired. Garnish with the lemon wedges
Nutrition
If you make this, tag @phoebelapine and #feedmephoebe - I'd love to see it!
MMMM I love Makers! And Bulleit. Well, all bourbon really. Makers and ginger beer is a pretty clutch combo too!
That’s my go-to!!! or at least it was, before the BLT.
YUM. Bulleit Bourbon… love that new look with their new packaging! This recipe sounds delicious and perfect for fall. Thanks so much for sharing! I’ll certainly be giving this a try.
love their packaging too! If only I could drink the contents! I used to LOVE bulleit before I was gluten-free.
It’s the bitter quinine in tonic water that keeps this from being just sweet and makes it a little more complex. I even love tonic water on its own.
me too! is it good for you? or better for you than soda?
It’s got as much sugar as soda. Quinine prevents malaria, but not sure if there’s enough in tonic to do the job.
The wedding sounds like a lot of fun! Love the idea of cocktails named after the bride and groom – and hot toddies in Mason Jars are an inspired idea. The BLT sounds delicious – I’ve only had bourbon once or twice but I’ve always enjoyed it 🙂
The quinine in tonic water is used as a remedy for malaria. It was a used as a mixer by British colonists to fight off the mosquito spread disease. If placed under a black light tonic water will glow a bright blue due to the quinine present. They really don’t put that much in there so it’s more for flavor than medicinal purposes nowadays.
From a scientific and technical point of view,.. anything distilled twice, or more, is gluten free regardless of liquor type. The idea that Maker’s would be gluten free and Bulliet would not be doesn’t really make any sense. Makers is a whaeted bourbon (as opposed to ryed) meaning that at least 51% of the original grain is corn and wheat is the “small” grain along with a touch of barley. I prefer Maker’s to Jack, but one is no more gluten free than the other. Having said that, some people insist that they feel negative, gluten oriented, effects from liquors even when they’ve been distilled twice (defying logic and science). The only true way to know 100% that something is gluten free is if it was made from a gluten free source such as corn, grape, potato, agave, etc. Any self respecting whiskey company will confirm that their product is gluten free because they have distilled it at least two times.
Hendrick’s, Smirnoff, Campari, & Maker’s Mark are all grain based alcohols prior to being infused or flavored. Most liquors are. Most liquors have also been distilled at least two times which should nullify the effects of the gluten (via removal during distillation).
Tip: Watch out for flavors, colors, and additives which are artificial. A vodka made from grapes (gluten free) which is then flavored can acquire gluten from the flavoring which is usually NOT gluten free and grain based. The only flavored vodka that comes to mind which is 100% natural would be Charbay as they use real fruit in the flavoring of their vodka. This is uncommon as it is a much more expensive process.
Tip 2: Any whiskey labeled “straight Bourbon” does not, by law, allow for unnatural additives such as caramel coloring which can include gluten. See above..
I just tried it, it was a bit blah. Added a splash of lime juice, much better. I may try it with just lime juice next …
Skip the lemon juice, it’s MUCH better with lime!
This is the grown up whiskey sour I’ve been looking for throughout my thirties! How did I not figure this out before?