I want to love whiskey.  Canean's drink of choice is almost always a whiskey or bourbon drink and it would be a lot more fun if I liked to drink it too, but I'll just lay it out for you...I do not have a taste for whiskey.  Or haven't...until now.  Have you ever had blackberry whiskey?  Well if are a whiskey scaredy cat like me, this is your transition into the hello whiskey world.  And if you already love whiskey, well you are in shock right now that I just told you that usually you will find me far away from whiskey.  My blackberry whiskey and sage cocktail is the crossover cocktail that is going to convert all of us non-whiskey drinkers with the first sip!

With fall nipping at our heels, whiskey seemed appropriate for this week's Thirsty Thursday concoction.  Now if the weather would just cooperate and I don't know...go below 100 degrees sometime soon, I would be one happy girl.  I keep hearing of people saying there is a nip in the air where they live and I couldn't be more jealous.  I converted my closet to fall, I'm mentally ready and the weather is really throwing a wrench in my boot wearing plans.

But at least we have our cocktails, and while it's still hot out there this whiskey drink is absolutely refreshing in every way possible!  I don't know if you knew this but I always test my drinks out on my neighbor and friend, Sarah and she usually gives me the go ahead before I share the recipe with you.  It's because she cares about your drink in hand too obviously, and she definitely gave her stamp of approval on this one.

You are going to love this drink complete with fresh mashed blackberries, a fresh sage simple syrup, and a twist of lemon to cut through it all. 

Ingredients:

• 3 Oz. Blackberry Flavored Whiskey (I used Bird Dog)
• 1 Oz. Sage Simple Syrup (6-8 leaves of fresh sage, 1/2 Cup water, 1/2 Cup sugar, bring to a boil and then remove sage and chill)
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Blackberries plus more for garnish
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• Cocktail Bitters
• Club Soda

Directions:

• In a cocktail shaker or mason jar, mash your blackberries with your simple syrup and lemon juice. 
• Add your blackberry whiskey and shake well with a few ice cubes.
• Strain over two glasses filled with ice and top off with club soda for a little fizz.
• Add a dash of bitters on top.
• Garnish with fresh blackberries, a sage leaf, and a piece of lemon rind that you twist over the glass before dropping it on top of the drink.

I'm tempted to play around with more whiskey or bourbon now that we are entering into fall and maybe this year I'll become a whiskey drinker...maybe.

Cheers!