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Raspberry Bourbon Bubbles for New Years Eve

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Last Updated on December 31, 2021 by Heather Wibbels

Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters
Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail

One of the easiest and fanciest cheats for dressing up a bourbon cocktail is topping it with champagne or sparkling wines and this Raspberry Bourbon Bubbles recipe for New Year’s Eve fits the bill. The easiest way to do this for two is to make your favorite old fashioned cocktail, pour a half serving in each flute, and top with champagne. The champagne dries out the cocktail, adds some effervescence, and opens up fruity flavors in the whiskey. 

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Why Champagne and Bourbon?

The classic champagne bourbon cocktail has to be the Seelbach cocktail, named after the historic hotel in Louisville. It’s a combination of bourbon, orange liqueur, heavy-handed bitters, and a champagne float. But I love the taste of champagne and bourbon together without a lot of bitters. 

Champagne, sparkling wines, and bourbon rely on yeast for their flavors, and both can burst with fruit, floral, and citrus flavors. The tickling mouthfeel of the bubbles changes the bourbon in the same way that a classic highball is transformed with the addition of soda or seltzer. 

While the easiest bourbon champagne cocktail is simply a sugar cube in the bottom of a flute dashed with bitters and topped with bourbon, then champagne, I love to take classic, spirit-forward cocktails and top them with bubbly. It works magically with both old fashioneds and Manhattans, and you’ll love it with a sazerac or boulevardier.

How to Make Raspberry Syrup for this Bourbon Bubbles Cocktail

Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters
Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail

For this cocktail, with the raspberry old fashioned base, I wanted to use a raspberry syrup that was processed cold, not heated. I wanted the sweet and slightly tart taste of fresh raspberries, not the taste of raspberry preserves. 

To make the syrup, I added 1 pint of fresh raspberries to a ziploc bag with 1 cup of sugar and about ¼ cup of water. I muddled them a bit, then set them in the fridge for a day or two.

The sugar pulls out the juices from the fruit, and it’s an amazing syrup for cocktails. Perfect for whiskey, but even better if you’re a gin or vodka fan and want that bright taste of fresh raspberries. 

Flavors in the Raspberry Bourbon Bubbles Cocktail

In addition to the bourbon and raspberry flavors, I added a dash of The Bitter Truth chocolate bitters. I’m partial to the taste of the raspberry and chocolate together. But, using black walnut bitters, orange bitters, or even peach bitters would be an amazing substitute. Use what you have, this cocktail is very forgiving.

To select a whiskey, I chose a low-proof whiskey, under 90 proof, to make sure I didn’t overwhelm the more delicate flavors of the champagne and raspberry. It was the right decision.

When I make cocktails to be topped with champagne I don’t generally use overproof or high-proof bourbons. While that does make the bourbon more noticeable in the cocktail, it throws off the balance because of the heat of the proof with the other, lower-proof ingredients. 

Cheat Your Way to a Fancy Bourbon Cocktail

Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters
Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail

If you don’t like raspberry or chocolate, simply make your favorite old fashioned and pour half of it into a champagne flute. Then top with champagne or sparkling wine. This works equally well with Manhattans and cocktails like the Sazerac. Both have enough individual strength that they don’t get lost with the champagne topper added at the end. 

Next time you have an accomplishment or anniversary to celebrate, make your favorite bourbon cocktail, pour it into two champagne flutes, and top with sparkling wine. You’ll still get your lovely kick of bourbon, but you’ll have a fancy, more elegant sip for those special occasions.

This is also very easy to create for a party or tasting. Simply make a batch of your old fashioneds or Manhattans and portion out 1 ¾ oz – 2 oz to each flute before topping with champagne.

Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters
Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail

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Raspberry Champagne Bubbles Cocktail in champagne flutes with copper-plated barware set and raspberry syrup and bitters

Raspberry Bourbon and Bubbles

Picture of Heather Wibbels, Cocktail Contessa, pouring a cocktailHeather Wibbels
Makes 2! Take your favorite old fashioned and turn it into an elegant cocktail with this easy take on a New Year’s Champagne cocktail. Using a base of a chocolate raspberry Old Fashioned, we’ll split the old fashioned between two champagne flutes and top with bubbles.
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Course Drinks
Cuisine Bourbon Cocktail
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz bourbon
  • ½ oz raspberry syrup
  • 2 dashes chocolate bitters
  • Top with prosecco, Champagne or your favorite bubbles champagne or your favorite bubbles
  • Garnish: fresh or dried raspberries or a simple cocktail cherry in the bottom of the flute

Instructions
 

  • In a mixing glass, add bourbon, syrup, bitters and fill with ice.
  • Stir until well-chilled, about 30 seconds.
  • Strain into two Champagne flutes, top with bubbles and garnish with raspberry or a nice cocktail cherry.

Notes

Raspberry Syrup
¼-½ cup water
1 cup sugar
1 pint fresh raspberries
Combine water, sugar and raspberries in a resealable plastic bag. Muddle lightly with your fingers and store in the fridge for 24 to 36 hours or until the syrup tastes vibrantly of raspberry. Strain into a clean glass jar and store in the fridge. Reserve strained berries for topping dessert or ice cream.
Keyword bourbon, bubbles, champagne, chocolate, raspberry
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
By on December 31st, 2020
Picture of Heather Wibbels, Cocktail Contessa, pouring a cocktail

About Heather Wibbels

Heather Wibbels is a whiskey and cocktail author (Executive Bourbon Steward, no less) with a passion for cocktails. She loves researching and designing cocktails, drinking cocktails, and teaching cocktails. Mostly whiskey cocktails, given her Kentucky location.

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