Dappered

Affordable Men's Style

  • Don’t Miss Anything
  • Start Here
  • Essentials Shop
  • Latest Deals
  • Style Scenarios
  • Reviews

The Drink: Bleu Saddle

January 19, 2016 By Ashley Roshitsh | Heads up: Buying via our links may result in us getting a commission. Also, we take your privacy rights seriously. Head here to learn more.

I’d like to take a moment to make a promise – I WILL write an article about a cocktail featuring a base spirit other than rye or bourbon. Sometime soon, just not this time. This time, we’re going to mix up a drink called the Bleu Saddle. It’s a bourbon based cocktail with Averna, Benedictine, and lemon juice. It’s a cocktail that I think appeals to a variety of palates – not too boozy, not too sweet. It’s a sour, but it’s a little more robust than a classic whiskey sour.

The name for this cocktail was a customer collaboration. While tasting it, they described it as being rugged, and used the word “dusty”. (I think they meant deliciously dusty.) And since we use a French liquor in this cocktail, the Bleu Saddle was born. Parfait!

The Drink: Bleu Saddle | Dappered.com

The Bourbon – Typically when making a cocktail with citrus, I try to use something a little softer, in order to pair with the citrus without being overwhelming. Buffalo Trace is a 7 year old bourbon, 90 proof, and works really well in cocktails. It isn’t something I’d choose to drink on its own, but for this cocktail it’s perfect. This whiskey is known for it’s sweeter notes of toffee, vanilla, oak, and anise. It’s a whiskey that is sharp at the beginning, plateaus into a spicy but smooth middle, and finishes soft and sweet.

Averna – This spirit belongs to a group I consider to be bartender favorites. Possibly because it’s delicious in just about anything you pair it with – it plays well with others. Averna is herbal, a little bitter, and has a viscosity to it that is smooth and silky. A traditional drink of Italy, it is a part of the amaro family. Amaros are classically used as a digestif, meant to sip after a meal. In the Bleu Saddle, it provides structure and body that makes the cocktail stand out from other citrusy bourbon cocktails.

Benedictine – Finishing out this cocktail is Benedictine. It’s an aromatic herbal liquor, hailing from France. It’s known to be made from a secret recipe, only given to three people at one time. It’s protected, and sacred. Made from 27 plants and spices, it adds a lighter and sweeter element.

The Drink: Bleu Saddle | Dappered.com

Bleu Saddle

  • 2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
  • .75 oz Averna
  • .50 oz Benedictine
  • .50 oz lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in shaker, add ice, and shake. Double strain into a chilled coupe, and garnish with a bourbon cherry.

Bourbon Cherries

  • 2 cups bourbon (I use our well bourbon, Ancient Age. You don’t need anything fancy.)
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 – 3 orange peels
  • 2 – 3 cinnamon sticks
  • ½ pound cherries (pitted or not, we source local cherries that have pits)

Heat bourbon in a pot over medium with orange juice. Once it reaches a simmer, slowly stir in sugar using a rubber spatula. Add the cherries, cinnamon sticks, vanilla, and orange peels. Allow to simmer for 7 minutes, then remove from heat. Let cool, and place cherries & juice in sealable containers. I remove the orange peels and cinnamon sticks, because I don’t like the cherries to be overly flavored by the cinnamon.

If you’d like to skip the kitchen and buy cherries, you can always go with the good ol’ standby, Luxardo Maraschino Cherries. They’re much sweeter than the recipe above, but they’re delicious.

THE SHOPPING LIST

  • Buffalo Trace Bourbon – $25.99
  • Averna – $23.95
  • Benedictine – $30.99

The Drink: Bleu Saddle | Dappered.com


AshleyPic100About the Author:
Ashley R. is Bartender in Boise, Idaho. She’s known for challenging traditional expectations regarding what a cocktail should be, and having an intuitive understanding of the way flavors interact. 

Filed Under: Drink Tagged With: Drink, drink recipe, The Drink

Continue the Conversation …

Want to share your thoughts on this article? Send us a tweet, join the discussion on Facebook, or hit us up on Instagram!

Don’t Miss Anything

Subscribe via email to get articles in your inbox or add Dappered on Flipboard. You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Or subscribe to push notifications to get alerts immediately.

New Here?

Well, welcome to Dappered. Here are what we consider the most useful posts on the site if you're looking to put a little more effort into your appearance. Just want to see our favorite menswear products? Shop our essentials here.

Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Extra 20% off BR Final Sale, Timex at Todd Snyder, & More

Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Extra 20% off BR Final Sale, Timex at Todd Snyder, & More

Is this a (small) shift for BR when it comes to promos/codes?

Steal Alert: Target 30% off Clothes + $10 off $50 stacking deal

Steal Alert: Target 30% off Clothes + $10 off $50 stacking deal

Shirts, tees, chinos, jeans, sunglasses, & more. You have to be logged in with them to use it, but the deals appear to stack.

Steal Alert: Spier and Mackay Core Suits have been restocked in Navy, Charcoal, & Medium Gray

Steal Alert: Spier and Mackay Core Suits have been restocked in Navy, Charcoal, & Medium Gray

$368 for half canvas, nice wool, two fits, and easy to tailor sleeve cuff buttons. Today’s a good day if you need a suit.

Follow Dappered on Instagram »

Men’s Fashion or Affordable Style?

Men's Fashion or Affordable Style?

Fashion is temporary and expensive. Style is timeless and affordable. Dappered® helps you work the retail system so that you can be comfortable, look sharp, and save money.

Want to share a great product? Email Us.
For a fit perspective, see Joe's measurements.
Make sure to read our affiliate disclosure.

CONNECT WITH DAPPERED

Thanks! Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Most Popular on Dappered

  • 20% off Spier Linen Suit Separates, Old Navy’s $32 Blazer, & More – The Thurs. Men’s Sales Handful
  • The Best Sunglasses under $100 for Men
  • Most Wanted Affordable Style – August 2022
  • Steal Alert: Extra 30% off Allen Edmonds Sale Items and Factory 2nds
  • Monday Men’s Sales Tripod – Extra 20% off BR Final Sale, Timex at Todd Snyder, & More
  • The Dappered Space: Most Wanted Affordable Home Style August 2022

Popular Topics

  • Best dress shirts to own
  • Best looking watches under $100
  • Best men’s dress shoes under $200
  • Nike Killshot sneaker alternatives
  • How to wear a suit without a tie
  • Suitsupply store review
  • Suitsupply Blue Line review
  • J. Crew Factory Thompson suit review
  • How much does it cost to tailor a suit?
  • Dopp kit essentials
  • Brown shoes with gray pants
  • Men’s style buying guide

Copyright © 2022 Dappered.com | Dappered, LLC | Dappered® is a registered trademark of Dappered, LLC

Hat tip: Magazine Pro Theme On Genesis Framework

Dappered does not collect or sell its users personal information | Disclosures: Privacy and Affiliates, Gilt.com, FTC

WPE

We work with partners that use cookies to understand how visitors use our site. Find out more.