Name: Red Queen
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 3 fl oz Red Wine; 1 fl oz Bourbon; 0.75 fl oz Lemon Juice; 0.5 fl oz Simple Syrup (Click for Recipe); 0.5 fl oz Amaro Braulio; 2 Lemon Wheels; 2 Sage Leaves; 2 Thyme Sprigs; 1 Rosemary Sprig

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Red Queen is a modern cocktail that was created by the editors of PUNCH and was first published in their book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. According to the authors, the recipe, which was named for a line in “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane, was inspired by early 20th century drinks that turned to red wine as a base. This version pairs the grape-based spirit with American-made bourbon, the alpine Italian liqueur Amaro Braulio, lemon, simple syrup, and an array of aromatic garnishes.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Red Wine: This is a type of wine made with red grapes and yeast, which are fermented with the grape skins to produce alcohol with a rich color and deep flavor.

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, with other grains, water, and yeast, which are distilled and then aged in new charred oak barrels to develop a rich, caramelized flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water, which are heated into a syrup with a sweet flavor.

Amaro Braulio: This is a liqueur made in Italy with a blend of Alpine herbs, roots, berries, and spices, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused and aged in oak barrels to develop an herbal, slightly woody flavor.

Lemon Wheels: This is a slice of lemon that has been cut into a circular shape.

Sage: This is an evergreen herb with long, light green leaves that have a velvet texture.

Thyme: This is an herb with small green leaves that has an earthy, slightly minty flavor.

Rosemary: This is an evergreen herb with fragrant needle-shaped leaves that grow on thick, woody stems.

Brands I Used

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Highball Glass: This is a tall, slim glass that’s used for serving mixed drinks made with a larger proportion of non-alcoholic mixers.

Tools I Used

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Dark and brooding burgundy color

• Aroma: Garden herbs and wine

• Taste: Initially heavy dry red wine flavor with slight bourbon oakiness, menthol, and citrus

• Finish: More red wine bitterness and herbal amaro

Kendall’s Take: “I honestly don’t know how to describe this recipe. I found it in the Winter Drinks book a while back and have been wanting to try it ever since, but I couldn’t find Amaro Braulio for the longest time. Now that I have some, it turns out the Red Queen is similar to a red wine with a bitter amaro aftertaste. It’s really unique and worth making if you have the amaro on hand, but I wouldn’t go out of your way to buy a bottle just to make this. I was honestly a little underwhelmed by the drink overall.”