Bourbon, fresh lemon juice, crème de cassis, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters make up the Bourbon Renewal, a modern classic created by Jeffrey Morgenthaler in the early days of the cocktail revival. The drink was developed in 2001 at the Bel Ami Lounge in Eugene, Oregon, and named after a band once fronted by Morgenthaler’s business partner.
The Bourbon Renewal was one of Morgenthaler’s first cocktails to gain wider recognition. The cocktails readily available ingredients and straightforward execution helped it spread organically, becoming an early example of a contemporary classic during the craft cocktail resurgence.
Why the Bourbon Renewal works
At its core, the Bourbon Renewal follows the Whiskey Sour template. Bourbon supplies a warm, vanilla-and-oak backbone, while fresh lemon juice provides citric acidity to balance out the base spirit and the sweetness of the simple syrup.
Crème de cassis is the defining ingredient of this cocktail, contributing tart blackcurrant depth instead of overt sweetness. It broadens the drink’s mid-palate, adding juiciness and a subtle tannic note that recalls both red wine and dark berries. The flavors of the crème de cassis and bitters place the cocktail somewhere between the clarity of a classic Whiskey Sour and the fruit-forward character of drinks like the Bramble, without leaning too far in either direction.
