Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) Water
  • 1/2 cup (120 mL) Grade A Dark Maple Syrup
  • 12 large Fresh Sage Leaves (roughly torn, for syrup)
  • 8 fl oz Bourbon Whiskey (2 fl oz per cocktail)
  • 20 Fresh Cranberries (5 berries per cocktail, plus 12 for garnish)
  • 3 fl oz Fresh Lime Juice (3/4 fl oz per cocktail)
  • 3 fl oz Sage Maple Syrup (3/4 fl oz per cocktail)
  • Ice (for shaking and serving)
  • 4 lime wheels (for garnish)
  • 4 Fresh Sage Leaves (for garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Combine the water, maple syrup, and 10 of the sage leaves (reserving 2 for garnish) in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until well combined. Remove from heat immediately, cover, and let the mixture steep for 20–30 minutes to fully infuse the sage flavour. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into an airtight container, discarding the spent sage leaves. Chill thoroughly in the refrigerator until completely cold (at least 30 minutes, or ideally overnight).
  2. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, place the 5 fresh cranberries, 1 small reserved sage leaf (optional), and the chilled Sage Maple Syrup (3/4 fl oz / 22 mL). Gently muddle the cranberries and sage. Press just enough to break the cranberry skins and release their juice and the sage aroma. Do not over-muddle.
  3. Add the Bourbon Whiskey (2 fl oz / 60 mL) and the fresh Lime Juice (3/4 fl oz / 22 mL) to the shaker base. Fill the shaker 2/3 full with fresh ice. Seal the lid tightly and shake hard for 15–20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty cold.
  4. Fill a rock glass with fresh ice. Double strain the cocktail mixture (using the shaker strainer and a fine-mesh strainer) into the glass to catch any small fragments. Spear three fresh cranberries onto a cocktail pick. Clap the final sage leaf gently between your hands to release its aroma before tucking it into the glass alongside the lime wheel. Serve immediately.