Canadian Apricot

I’m not the biggest fan of hard liquor and fancy mixed drinks.  I generally prefer a large glass of wine or maybe a microbrew.  I don’t like sweet drinks and feel that a lot of mixed drinks are loaded with sugar and juice.  I also prefer mixed drinks in which I cannot taste the alcohol, which I think is hard to do without a lot of sugar…. And I no longer drink vodka – I like gin, whiskey, bourbon, tequila….. all of which tend toward strong, distinct flavors.  Kris and I have been experimenting with low sugar/natural sugar drinks that are packed full of flavor and hit the jackpot with this Canadian Apricot – I love it!  And hopefully you live somewhere where you can get fresh apricots (peaches would work too).

The making of this drink was definitely a joint effort on Kris’s and my part…actually it was more of Kris’s creation as he’s the connoisseur of fine liquor in this household.  We did some brainstorming via texts, and then Kris perfectly executed this drink.  The maple syrup, apricots, and bourbon create the perfect flavor combination. I seriously can’t get over how amazingly delicious this is.  Not too sweet, a little tart from the apricot, the rich, smooth finish of the bourbon.  The perfect summer drink.

The syrup for this drink is made with real maple syrup, thus the inspiration for naming the drink a Canadian Apricot.   The syrup is super easy to make.  We heated maple syrup and a chopped apricot in a small saucepan over low – medium heat until it just started to thicken, about 10 minutes.  While the maple syrup and apricot are simmering,  we smashed up the apricot pieces with the back of a fork against the side of the pan to create a thicker syrup with actual apricot pieces.  We didn’t strain out the apricot.

Then just let the syrup cool slightly and mix using a shaker, with bourbon and a few splashes of bitters, pour over ice and garnish with basil and/or apricot slices.  I recommend drinking this while sitting on your back porch….just relax, put your feet up, and enjoy this Canadian Apricot!

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Canadian Apricot

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

10 mins

Total Time

15 mins

 

Maple syrup, apricots, & bourbon create the perfect flavor combination. Not too sweet, a little tart, and the rich, smooth finish of the bourbon.

Course: Drinks

Servings: 2

Author: Emily

Ingredients

• 2 oz Maple Syrup
• 1 apricot pitted and chopped
• 3 oz of bourbon
• Bitters
• Crushed ice
• 1 apricot sliced to garnish
• Basil leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Heat maple syrup and chopped apricot over low - medium heat in a small saucepan until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Mash chopped apricot pieces with the back of a fork.
2. Fill martini glasses with crushed ice.
3. In a shaker, add bourbon (1.5 oz per drink), apricot-maple syrup, and 4 dashes of bitters, shake to mix.
4. Pour mixture over crushed ice, dividing evenly between the two glasses.
5. Garnish with apricots and basil.
6. Optional: Add additional bourbon to make drink stronger or cut with water.