A Jigger of Blog

My girlfriend started a bourbon infusion project for me as a Christmas gift and this cocktail is the result. She had seen a number of recipes that included fig and vanilla infused bourbon and thought it would be fun to make. After a minor snafu or two, we settled on infusing Buffalo Trace bourbon with a good amount of fig and vanilla.

The process is incredibly simple: quarter fresh figs, place them and a fresh vanilla bean into a liter mason jar and cover them with bourbon. Agitate the mixture once a day. After 5-7 days, the bourbon should take on a strong fig and vanilla smell, a sign that the infusion is done. The end product is actually very sweet, with strong fig flavor and a potent vanilla waft. It’s a great combination with bourbon. I like Buffalo Trace as a choice, as it’s a great bourbon for cocktails and isn’t too expensive, while still being enjoyable on its own. And infusing a spirit like this is incredibly easy. There’s really no reason why anyone reading this post can’t make their own fig and vanilla infused bourbon.

The Rachelle Cocktail is one I created for this bourbon infusion. It plays off the fruitiness of the bourbon and adds a bitter sweet punch from the amaro. The Bitter Truth’s Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters add some spice and balance to what is otherwise a fairly sweet drink and the club soda makes it light and mellow, enjoyable to almost any palate (or at least it was at the party I hosted last night).  Cheers!

Rachelle Cocktail

2 oz Fig and Vanilla infused Bourbon
0.5 oz Amaro Ramazzotti
3 dashes Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters
1 oz club soda

Combine bourbon, amaro & bitters in a rocks glass. Fill with ice & stir. Top with a splash of club soda.