Bruised Pomegranate
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.1% ABV ∙
The Bruised Pomegranate stirs rye whiskey and Byrrh in equal measure, lifted with grenadine, absinthe and chocolate bitters. Rich and rounded: warm rye and grape-quinine sweetness from the Byrrh, a whisper of anise and cocoa, and a soft pomegranate edge — a contemplative after-dinner sipper.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Rye whiskey 45 mlByrrh 45 mlGrenadine syrup 5 mlAbsinthe 1 dashOrange bitters 1 dashChocolate bitters 2 dashesSaline solution 1 dashChilled water 20 ml
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry
Tips
- The absinthe is a single dash stirred in with everything, not a rinse — measure it carefully so the anise stays a whisper behind the rye and Byrrh.
- Rinse or dash the coupe with absinthe rather than pouring it in, so the anise perfumes the drink without dominating.
- Express the orange twist over the surface and discard the peel — the oils lift the cocoa and quinine notes.
- Use one dash of grenadine only; it colors and softens the Byrrh's bitterness without turning the drink sweet.
History
The Bruised Pomegranate was created in August 2015 at the Cabinet Room, a private cocktail bar in London. A stirred, spirit-forward drink, it pairs rye whiskey with red quinquina (such as Byrrh) and rounds the mix with grenadine, absinthe, and orange and chocolate bitters, sitting stylistically between a Manhattan and a Brooklyn.
FAQ
What is in a Bruised Pomegranate?
Equal measures of rye whiskey and Byrrh, a French quinine aperitif wine, with a little grenadine, a dash of absinthe, chocolate bitters, and orange bitters. It is stirred with chilled water and garnished with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry.
Is a Bruised Pomegranate shaken or stirred?
Stirred. The drink is built entirely from spirits and fortified wine with no citrus juice, so stirring over ice keeps it clear and silky rather than aerated and cloudy.
What glass is a Bruised Pomegranate served in?
A coupe glass, served up without ice. Chilling the coupe first keeps the stirred drink cold in the glass and shows off its deep color against the maraschino cherry and orange twist.
What is bruising a cocktail?
Bruising refers to over-agitating a drink, usually by shaking when it should be stirred, which whips in tiny air bubbles and clouds a clear spirit-forward cocktail. Here the name is playful; the drink itself is gently stirred, not bruised.
What alcohol goes well with pomegranate?
Pomegranate, most often used as grenadine, pairs well with whiskey, rum, gin, and vodka, and especially with bitter or fortified aperitifs. In this drink its tart sweetness balances rye whiskey and the quinine bitterness of Byrrh.
