A while back I purchased a bottle of hum after seeing it on a few blogs and was intrigued by it. Not long after trying it I knew it was something that fit my cocktail style perfectly, and I even featured it on my From Crass to Craft Mixology Monday event. For those of you unfamiliar with hum, it’s a rum based spirit/liqueur infused with cardamom, lime, ginger and hibiscus, and has a richly deep purple color, created by mixologists Adam Seger and Joe McCanta. It’s a very well conceived liqueur that has a wonderful pronounced hibiscus profile that is balanced by minimal sugar. Of course being a rum derived liqueur, it does play very nice with it, but it also works really well with just about any other spirit, including bourbon.

I find that the hibiscus/bourbon duo is a highly neglected flavor combination. And hum’s addition of ginger and cardamom really helps make the sell. For me, while I really lean towards the brown, bitter and stirred concoctions for the fall/winter time, there is something to be said for a well made sour every now and then, especially when it involves whiskey and spice. Being the type whom never likes to just only make classics in the traditional way, I wanted something that would be accessible and interesting to those whom may not reach for sours right now, and would have a balanced tone with hints of spice, ginger and hibiscus. That and I like colorful cocktails. Cheers.

Hum's the Word

1 3/4 oz Elijah Craig 12 Year Bourbon

3/4 oz hum

3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

1/4 oz Honey Syrup (1:1)

6 drops Bittermans Elemakule Tiki Bitters

Combine ingredients over ice, shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy.

Color: Vibrant Purple-violet

Flavor: Aged bourbon with notes of hibiscus, honey, ginger, allspice and nutmeg

Texture: Medium-light and smooth