Winter-Spiced Herbal Bourbon on the Rocks
Winter-spiced herbal bourbon on the rocks is a warming, holiday-ready twist on the classic old-fashioned. You build it with bourbon, a little Benedictine, and a winter spice syrup, then shake it and pour it over one large ice cube. The result is smooth, softly sweet, and gently spiced, which makes it the kind of cocktail everyone at the Christmas table can enjoy.
I wasn’t a fan of bourbon for a long time, but ever since I started being passionate about mixology and cocktail-making, I’ve been looking differently at this special liquor. I came to the conclusion that mixology is an art in itself, and everything that happens inside a cocktail glass is done a certain way for a very clear reason. Just like that story I told you about the copper mugs the Basil Moscow Mule Cocktail is served in, remember? This winter version of the old-fashioned is part of my series of alcoholic winter holiday drinks, and I made it sweeter, softer, and more flavored so it’s perfect for both men and women.
Why this bourbon is served on the rocks
Serving a drink “on the rocks” means pouring it over a single large ice cube or sphere instead of several normal-sized cubes, which is exactly where the name comes from. Why go large? A big block of ice has less surface area relative to its volume, so it melts more slowly than a handful of small cubes. That slower melt means your bourbon gets diluted at a gentler pace and holds its flavor and strength for longer. See, I told you there’s a reason behind everything — who wants a watered-down glass of bourbon, after all?
What goes into a winter-spiced herbal bourbon
The base is a good bourbon — my favorite here is Maker’s Mark, which is soft and rounded rather than sharp, so it plays nicely with the spices. To that I add Benedictine, a French herbal liqueur made with a blend of botanicals and honey. Its taste is remarkably complex and hard to describe, and it’s the ingredient that gives the drink its herbal, old-world depth. Because Benedictine contains honey, this cocktail is vegetarian rather than vegan; if you want to keep it fully plant-based, reach for a honey-free herbal liqueur in its place.
The wintry character comes from a Monin Winter Spice syrup, which does the job in no time and saves you from simmering your own spiced syrup. Rounding it out are an orange wedge and a strip of orange zest for brightness, plus a sage leaf that ties the whole thing to the colder months. Nothing here is fussy — it’s a short list of ingredients doing a lot of work.
Smoking and chilling the glass for extra flavor
If you take a look at the full recipe below, you’ll see I smoke the glass with dry sage leaves before adding the liquid. It’s completely optional, but it adds a lot to the experience: set a few dry leaves on a cutting board, light them with a small torch or a matchstick, then place the chilled glass upside down over the smoke and let it collect inside. When you flip the glass back over, that faint herbal smoke greets you with every sip.
My other tip is to use the chilled-glass technique alongside the smoking. Starting with a cold glass keeps the drink colder for longer and slows the melt of your large ice cube even further, so the flavors stay balanced from the first pour to the last. Shake the bourbon, Benedictine, and syrup with a couple of ice cubes first, then strain the cold, aerated mix into your prepared glass over the ice.
What to pour and serve alongside it
I really wanted a pleasant cocktail that could be enjoyed by everyone at the Christmas table, so this one earns its place next to a full holiday spread. Pour it after a bowl of hearty veggie soup to warm everyone up, or sip it slowly through a vegan Christmas dinner when you want something with a little more depth than wine. If you’re building a drinks menu for the season, it sits happily alongside the rest of my winter holiday series, like a dark rum spiced mojito or a big pitcher of winter sangria. As always with anything boozy, keep the pours sensible and enjoy it responsibly.
If you make this winter-spiced herbal bourbon for your loved ones over the holidays, I’d love to hear whether you smoked the glass or kept it simple — please rate the recipe and leave a comment below to tell me how it turned out.
Summarise & Save This Recipe
★ Add us as a trusted Google source
Winter-Spiced Herbal Bourbon on the Rocks
Ingredients
- 60 ml 2 oz bourbon – my favorite is Maker’s Mark
- 15 ml ½ oz Benedictine liqueur
- 15 ml ½ oz Monin Winter Spice syrup
- orange wedge + zest
- 1 sage leaf
- optional – dry sage to smoke the glass
- one large ice sphere – or large ice cubes
Instructions
- In a shaker, add the bourbon, Benedictine, syrup, and 2-3 ice cubes. Shake well.
- Use a chilled glass.
- For this cocktail, I smoked the glass with some dry sage leaves. This is optional, but it adds to the experience. Add some leaves on a cutting board and light them on fire using a small torch or matchstick. Put the chilled glass over it, upside down, and let the smoke get into the glass.
- Flip it, add the large ice cube or sphere and pour your cocktail from the shaker, onto the glass, using a strainer.
- Add one orange wedge and decorate with orange zest and a sage leaf.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is vegetarian rather than vegan. Everything else in the glass is plant-based, but Benedictine liqueur is traditionally made with honey, which is why it lands in the vegetarian category. To make it fully plant-based, swap the Benedictine for a honey-free herbal liqueur.
A single large cube or sphere has less surface area for its size, so it melts more slowly than a handful of small cubes. That slower melt dilutes the bourbon at a gentler pace, keeping the flavor and strength intact for longer. It is the main reason bourbon is served “on the rocks.”
Benedictine is a French herbal liqueur made from a blend of botanicals and honey, with a complex, slightly sweet, old-world flavor. It adds the herbal depth that makes this drink feel wintry rather than plain. If you cannot find it, another herbal liqueur will give a similar aromatic character, though the exact taste will shift.
No, smoking the glass is entirely optional. The cocktail tastes great without it, but the sage smoke adds a subtle herbal aroma that makes the drink feel more special. If you want to try it, burn a few dry sage leaves and trap the smoke under an upturned chilled glass before pouring.
The winter spice syrup brings the sweetness and warm spice that define this version, so it does a lot of the flavor work. If you do not have it, a homemade spiced simple syrup infused with warming spices will point the drink in the same direction. Adjust the amount to taste, since homemade syrups vary in strength.
It shines at a holiday table, poured after a warming soup or alongside a full vegetarian Christmas dinner. It also fits neatly into a seasonal drinks menu next to other winter cocktails. Keep the pours moderate and enjoy it responsibly.
subtile and flavorful… keep up the good work!