Bourbon, Apple and Ginger Sour

I was doing a new year's cleaning around here and that included the dreaded refrigerator clear out. Fortunately there was no year-old Chinese food container hiding anywhere but I did get a chance to take stock of all my various cocktail potions. Some older ones had to go but it wasn't that long ago that I made a beautiful ginger syrup and it was just begging to be used again.

I've poached pears with it and then made pear cocktails with it but I hadn't tried it with bourbon yet.

Fortunately, I've now remedied that mistake because the two go together quite well. A touch of apple juice to balance out the lemon, since I was technically making a sour, and the result was a beautiful balance. Cheers!

Per Serving:
1 1/2 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Apple juice
1/2 oz. Lemon juice
1/2 oz. Ginger syrup (recipe follows)
Dash of Angostura bitters

Ginger Syrup:
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
2 Hands fresh ginger, sliced
Tiny pinch of salt

To make the syrup, combine the sugar, water, sliced ginger and salt in a pot on medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved and remove from the heat. Let the pot sit, off the heat, for a couple of hours or until completely cool. Strain, pour into a bottle and keep in the fridge.

Add the bourbon, apple juice, lemon juice, ginger syrup and bitters to a cocktail shaker.  Fill with ice, shake well and pour into a rocks glass.  Serve straight up or over ice for a slower sipper. Garnish with a maraschino cherry, if desired.