Golden Hour
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 21.9% ABV ∙
The Golden Hour is a stirred bourbon cocktail built with an Aperol-style aperitivo and Lillet Blanc, finished with an expressed grapefruit twist. Bourbon warmth anchors the sip, the aperitivo's bitter-orange edge lifting into a floral, citrus-bright finish from the grapefruit oils.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 30 mlAperitivo 20 mlAromatized wine 20 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice)
- Express a grapefruit twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Stir over a large cube or block ice — the slower melt keeps the bourbon from getting diluted before it's poured.
- Pre-chill the glass so the drink stays cold once strained over ice, since it isn't shaken or topped with a mixer.
- Express the grapefruit twist directly over the glass right before serving so the oils sit on top of the drink.
History
The Golden Hour is a modern promotional cocktail created by the makers of Basil Hayden bourbon, who describe it as a Kentucky drink with French ancestry, pairing their bourbon with Aperol and Lillet Blanc in place of the sweet vermouth used in an Old Fashioned-adjacent, Boulevardier-style build. The name refers to the soft evening light just before sunset rather than to any ingredient. No independent bartender or venue origin story is documented beyond the brand's own recipe releases, which appeared in the early 2020s across cocktail and lifestyle publications.
FAQ
What is in a Golden Hour?
Bourbon, an Aperol-style aperitivo, and an aromatized wine such as Lillet Blanc, stirred with ice and garnished with an expressed grapefruit twist. It is vegan, vegetarian, and lactose-free, at about 125 calories per serving.
How do you make a Golden Hour?
Pre-chill the serving glass, then stir the bourbon, aperitivo, and aromatized wine together with ice. Strain into the chilled glass over a large ice cube and express a grapefruit twist over the top as garnish.
What is a Golden Hour cocktail?
It is a stirred bourbon cocktail brightened with a bitter aperitivo, served over a large ice cube in an old-fashioned glass and finished with an expressed grapefruit twist. At about 21.9% ABV, it drinks like a lighter, citrus-tinted riff on a whiskey old fashioned.
