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Cocktail History
The Boo Radley is a modern cocktail that was created by Chris Hannah at French 75 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s a variation based on the classic Creole Cocktail that calls for bourbon as the base spirit, but instead of vermouth, Amer Picon, and Bénédictine, it adds Cynar for its menacing color and slightly bitter taste as well as cherry liqueur for its innocent sweetness to balance it back out. The drink is aptly named for the frightening yet ultimately gentle neighbor of the Finch family in the book To Kill a Mockingbird.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Buffalo Trace Distillery Benchmark Bourbon.
Cynar: This is a liqueur made in Italy with artichokes, herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol.
Heering Cherry Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Denmark with Stevens cherries, baking spices, almonds, sugar, and alcohol.
Lemon Peel: This is the peel of a lemon that has been cut into a strip shape.
Orange Peel: This is the peel of an orange that has been cut into a strip shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Dark brown color
• Aroma: Citrus and Cynar
• Taste: Initial sweet cherry flavor mellowed out with bourbon spice and unique slightly bitter amaro
• Finish: Lingering bitterness and mild whiskey burn
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “Finally a cocktail with Cynar that I enjoyed! The bourbon and cherry paired with the bitter amaro make for a wonderfully complex flavor profile. I liked the Boo Radley quite a bit and could see myself drinking it again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-13.
Boo Radley
The Boo Radley is a modern cocktail that was created by Chris Hannah at French 75 in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's a variation based on the classic Creole Cocktail that calls for bourbon as the base spirit, but instead of vermouth, Amer Picon, and Bénédictine, it adds Cynar for its menacing color and slightly bitter taste as well as cherry liqueur for its innocent sweetness to balance it back out. The drink is aptly named for the frightening yet ultimately gentle neighbor of the Finch family in the book To Kill a Mockingbird.
Ingredients
Method
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Add bourbon, Cynar, cherry liqueur, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
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Stir for 30-45 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Express lemon and orange peels over top.
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Garnish with lemon and orange twists.
