Servings:8

The raisiny flavor of an ancho chile gives a lovely base note to this drink, bringing together the cherries and the bourbon. The addition of the vitamin C tablet keeps the cherry juice brighter in color, but feel free to omit it if you don’t have one on hand.

Ingredients

For the cherry purée

1 dried ancho chile (about 1/2 oz.)
10 oz. sweet red cherries, stemmed and pitted (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 500-mg unflavored vitamin C tablet, crushed to a powder with back of a spoon, or 1/4 tsp. ascorbic acid (optional)

For serving

2 cups bourbon
1/2 cup kirsch
2 12-oz. bottles black cherry soda
8 cherries with stems, for garnish

Calories (kcal) : 250
Fat Calories (kcal): 0
Fat (g): 0
Saturated Fat (g): 0
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 0
Cholesterol (mg): 0
Sodium (mg): 15
Carbohydrates (g): 26
Fiber (g): 1
Sugar (g): 22
Protein (g): 1

Preparation

Make the cherry purée

Stem and seed the chile, and soak it in 1-1/2 cups cold water to cover in a small bowl until softened, about 20 minutes. Coarsely chop the soaked chile, and put in a blender with 1/2 cup of the soaking water, the cherries, lime juice, and vitamin C tablet, if using. Blend until the cherries liquefy and the chile is blended, about 30 seconds. Pour the liquid into a fine-mesh strainer set over a 2-cup liquid measure. Press hard on the solids with the back of a spoon, and then discard them. (The purée can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.)

To make individual drinks

Fill a tall 12- to 14-oz. glass with ice, and add 1/4 cup of the bourbon, 1/4 cup of the cherry purée, and 1 Tbs. of the kirsch. Top with about 3 oz. (about 1/3 cup) of the soda, and stir to combine. Garnish with a cherry, and serve.

To make a pitcher

In a pitcher, stir together the cherry purée, bourbon, and kirsch. Refrigerate if not serving right away. Add the soda just before serving. Divide among eight tall 12- to 14-oz. glasses filled with ice. Garnish each with a cherry and serve.