Your perfect summer bourbon cocktail is here, and it's a tasty one! With its bright lemon and fresh mint, this blueberry bourbon smash is one refreshing sipper for those warm patio nights.

A blueberry bourbon smash on a wooden plate with white flowers in the background.

When most people think of bourbon, they imagine cozy cocktails made for chilly weather. And I get it. My apple cider old fashioned and chai-cranberry bourbon smash are perfect for those occasions.

But just because the summer months hit doesn't mean we have to abandon our favorite liquor. With those sweet, caramel-like notes in bourbon, it's actually perfect with all sorts of fruit. If a fruity cocktail doesn't scream summer, I don't know what does.

Enter this blueberry bourbon cocktail. Summer's juicy, plump blueberries give this bourbon cocktail a seasonal twist that makes it perfect for even the hottest nights. If you gravitate toward bourbon only when a chill hits the air, take one sip of this fresh blueberry cocktail, and I guarantee you'll reach for this delicious liquor all year long.

Related: For more favorite bourbon cocktails, try my classic Boston sour.

Looking down at a blueberry bourbon smash on a wooden background.

Ingredients

Before we start mixing, let's chat ingredients. To make this blueberry bourbon smash, we need bourbon, simple syrup, fresh blueberries, fresh mint, lemon juice and an optional club soda topping.

Don't like bourbon? Feel free to use vodka, rum or tequila. All three make for delicious alternatives.

Heck, don't feel like you have to stop there with your customizations. Get creative and substitute basil, thyme or rosemary for mint. Go half and half with blueberries and raspberries, or try ginger beer or ginger ale rather than club soda for a spice kick.

That's what I love about cocktail making. Once you have the right proportion of ingredients, you can make all sorts of substitutions for your own unique sipper. That said, this cocktail is seriously delicious as written, so you can't go wrong sticking to the recipe either.

*Wink, wink*

A side view of the fresh blueberry cocktail with flowers and blueberries surrounding it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Now that we’ve settled on our ingredients, let’s start mixing! We throw our fresh blueberries, lemon and mint into a cocktail shaker and muddle until the berries and lemon break down. If you enjoy making cocktails at home, a muddler is worth the purchase, but a sturdy wooden spoon can also take care of the job.

Once our muddled ingredients are nice and juicy, we add our simple syrup, bourbon and ice and give it a good shake. We now replace the shaker top with a cocktail strainer, which ensures our muddled berries and lemon don’t get in the way, and pour into ice-filled glasses.

I love garnishing this blueberry cocktail with a fresh mint sprig, but before you do, place it in the palm of your hand and quickly clap your other hand on top. This releases that minty fragrance for an even more delightful drinking experience.

And that’s it! Just like that, we’re ready to sip this night away.

The blueberry bourbon cocktail with a flower vase on the side.

Perfect Pairing

This fresh blueberry cocktail and my mixed berry-custard pie make the perfect match. The caramelized bourbon notes go together with the graham cracker crust while we get berries upon berries for a perfect cocktail and dessert harmony.

When only a refreshing cocktail made with seasonal fruit will do, I hope you try this blueberry bourbon smash.

Cheers!

An aerial view of the blueberry bourbon smash with a sprig of mint on a wooden plate.

The blueberry smash with a few flowers and blueberries around it on a wooden board.

Looking for More Summer Cocktails?

Strawberry-mint bourbon smash (by the Casual Foodist)
Italian margarita
Coconut-watermelon mojito
Strawberry mint julep
Cherry bourbon smash

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