Sweet Cherry Bourbon Smash

Nothing says Summer like sipping on a sweet bourbon cocktail in the sunshine.  This delicious cherry bourbon smash is a twist on a classic bourbon cocktail, the mint julep, and marries the flavors of fresh sweet cherries, bourbon, lemon and mint for an amazing sipper that will be the perfect drink for your next pool party!

Fresh cherry juice give this refreshing Summer cocktail recipe a show-stopping color! And the cherry-infused bourbon plays perfectly with the tartness of fresh lemon juice and lemon-lime soda.  This is one of my favorite cocktails and I know you'll be making it again and again!

If you love bourbon cocktails, you must try my Gold Rush cocktail recipe!

Ingredient Notes

• Fresh Cherries - I used fresh sweet cherries for this recipe.  If it's not cherry season, canned or frozen would probably work just as well although you may need more to get a rich cherry flavor.  
• Fresh Mint - The easiest way to get fresh mint is to plant a pot in your yard.  It's a hardy plant that grows like crazy. But if you have a black thumb like I do, you can buy fresh mint leaves at the grocery store.
• Lemon - You'll need fresh lemons here since we muddle the whole lemon, peel included.  If you prefer lime, you can substitute fresh limes for lemons and make a cherry lime bourbon smash.
• Bourbon - Woodford Reserve is my favorite bourbon brand, but any bourbon will do. 
• Lemon-Lime Soda - Instead of using simple syrup and club soda, I've switched things up and make this drink with lemon lime soda.  The bubbles are so refreshing and it makes the perfect mixer for this fruity drink. Mix it up by replacing lemon-lime soda with cherry soda or ginger beer.
• Ice - This cocktail is shaken with ice and served with ice, so you'll need plenty of ice cubes on hand.

See recipe card for full recipe with quantities

How to Make a Cherry Bourbon Smash

This drink is fairly simple to make, but you will need a cocktail shaker, a cocktail muddler and a strainer.

STEP 1: Add the fresh fruit, mint leaves, and bourbon to your cocktail shaker.  Use a cocktail muddler to crush the fruit, but don't got crazy or you'll get a bitter flavor from the lemon peel.

STEP 2: Add some ice to the cocktail shaker and give it a good shake.  Pour it through a strainer into a rocks glass filled with ice.  Top with lemon lime soda and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Muddle carefully - If you're worried about the bitter taste from the lemon peel, you can muddle the cherries and mint together first, then add the lemons and muddle a little more.
• Keep it cold - This delicious sipping cocktail is served cold.  Shaking the cocktail with ice before pouring it into an old fashioned glass keeps it cold so it won't melt the ice in your glass.
• Replace Cherries - If you don't have fresh cherries, you can use canned or frozen (thaw them first).  Or replace the cherries with blackberries or blueberries for a twist on this recipe.

More bourbon cocktails to consider:

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