Bourbon and Blood

Here’s a cocktail you’ll feel O positive about.

The Bourbon and Blood is a tart, herbaceous cocktail that comes from the mind of Gian Saetti. As a bartender at Maui’s Ritz-Carlton Kapalua’s Alaloa Lounge, Saetti whipped up this bourbon cocktail that’s all about the citrus – blood orange citrus to be precise. Fresh blood orange juice and orange bitters are blended together with tarragon for a sour, sweet, and earthy flavor.

The Bourbon and Blood is oftentimes described as a modern variation on the Manhattan, but that might not be the best description out there. In reality, this cocktail uniquely sits somewhere between a Boulevardier and a Blood and Sand cocktail. The Boulevardier is a bourbon riff on the classic Negroni, which focuses on gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. The beauty of this cocktail lies in its equal balance of sweet, floral, and bitter, while the bourbon of the Boulevardier tips the balance more toward sweet and bitter.

And then comes the Blood and Sand. A classic Scotch cocktail, this drink has neither sand nor blood in it, but rather a delicious mix of Scotch, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange juice. It’s a combination that made sense to absolutely no one except for Harry Craddock. Craddock is largely credited with inventing the cocktail since it made its print debut in his 1930 book, “The Savoy Cocktail Book.” However, the cocktail was almost lost to obscurity until Dale DeGroff stepped in. DeGroff is known for ushering in the modern cocktail era and just so happened to serve up Blood and Sands at the Rainbow Room in the 1990s. The Blood and Sand has floated around the bar scene and may just have been the inspiration for Saetti’s mixture.

So where does the Bourbon and Blood fall in all of this? Well, the B&B does keep things consistent with both the sweet vermouth and whiskey, but opts out of Campari entirely. The orange juice and cherry liqueur of the Blood and Sand then morph into tangy blood orange juice and orange bitters for a truly original twist.

Whether Saetti took inspiration from the Boulevardier, the Blood and Sand, neither, or both, he managed to create a drink that tastes like an absolute original.