The Sour Lands

The Pairing

Age of Assassins by RJ Barker

The Reasoning

The Sour Lands are a barren desert wasteland, caused by a magic system that drains the land of life. In Barker’s world, this heresy must be repaid in blood. Here I have chosen to represent the Sour Lands with the bitterness of lemon combined with the tart sweetness of black raspberry liqueur.

The Recipe

You will need:

• Cocktail Shaker
• Ice
• Martini Glass
• Superfine/Baker’s Sugar
• 1 Saucer
• 1 Lemon (1 wedge, 1 oz juice)
• 2 oz Bourbon
• 1.5 oz Black Raspberry Liqueur
• 1 Cocktail Sword
• 1 Raspberry
• 1 Sprig Mint

Pour a couple of tbsp of sugar onto a saucer. Take your Martini Glass and wedge of lemon. Run the lemon around the rim of the glass, then dip into the sugar until the rim is coated – tap until any excess sugar is loosened, then set aside.

Fill your cocktail shaker with ice. Squeeze 1 oz lemon juice into shaker, as well as bourbon and raspberry liqueur. Shake vigorously and strain into glass.

Spear a raspberry and a sprig of mint on your cocktail sword and add to glass as garnish.