Fall down the rabbit hole with the Ginger Rabbit.
The Ginger Rabbit is a modern cocktail with a ton of bounce. Invented by bartender Damian Windsor, the Ginger Rabbit is his latest contemporary creation alongside the Four Aces, Japanese Maple, Tijuana Brass, and the Cranberry Delicious. But lucky for us, the Ginger Rabbit is all about the bourbon.
In addition to its bourbon base, the Ginger Rabbit relies on two big flavor stars: Creme Yvette and a star anise and black tea syrup. The syrup can be whipped up at home to bring a warm, fall vibe to the drink, but the Creme Yvette really brings the personality.
Creme Yvette is a type of Creme de Violette. Stay with us here – Creme de Violette is a liqueur made from violet petals and usually some sort of brandy. It’s most notable for giving the famous gin-based Aviation its purple hue (although frankly we prefer the Kentucky Flyer, the rye-based Aviation-riff). Creme Yvette, on the other hand, is the American version of Creme de Violette that adds in fruits like raspberries and blackberries, alongside honey and citrus.
When added all together, the Ginger Rabbit becomes a spicy, fruity, sweet, warming cocktail that’s sure to put a little hop in your step.
Ginger Rabbit
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Glass
- 1 Muddler
- 1 Bar Spoon
- 1 Hawthorne Strainer
- 1 Rocks Glass
Ingredients
- ½ ounce Star Anise and Black-Tea Syrup
- 1 slice Ginger
- 2 ounces Bourbon
- ½ ounce Creme Yvette
- 1 dash Angostura Bitters
- 1 twist Lemon
Star Anise and Black Tea Syrup
- 1 cup Water
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 bag Black Tea
- 6 pods Star Anise
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ½ ounce of Star Anise and Black-Tea Syrup and 1 slice of fresh ginger.
- Over the mixing glass, twist the oils from the lemon peel and then drop it into the glass.
- Muddle the ingredients together until combined.
- To the mixing glass, add 2 ounces of Bourbon, ½ ounce of Creme Yvette, and 1 dash of Angostura Bitters.
- Add ice and then stir with a bar spoon until chilled.
- Strain into a Rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon.
Star Anise and Black Tea Syrup
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, create simple syrup by bringing 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water to a low boil.
- Continue to stir until the sugar is fully dissolved into the water. Remove from heat.
- Add 1 bag of Black Tea to the warm simple syrup and let it steep for around 10 minutes.
- Once finished, remove the tea bag and lightly crush 6 pods of Star Anise to the syrup.
- Let the syrup infuse for 24 hours and then strain.
Notes
- Store the Star Anise and Black Tea Syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
