The Corner Drafthouse's Heart of Gold

Caroline Wilhelm

• Caroline Wilhelm
• The Corner Drafthouse
• 495 Laurel Street
• Banker’s Hill

Drawn by twinkling lights and decorations, I duck into The Corner Drafthouse during their Christmas Pop Up, and bartender Caroline Wilhelm offers to help me pick a cocktail from the specially-made holiday menu. I finally land on the Heart of Gold, which she says is “a play on the golden color of the cocktail and the Christmas theme. You know, Santa, I suppose, having a ‘heart of gold.’”

It’s a bourbon cocktail, “made with Bulleit bourbon, lemon juice, rosemary syrup and Domaine de Canton, which is a ginger liqueur,” says Wilhelm.

“There’s a little bit of citrus, of course, with the lemon. So that brings out a bit of brightness in the bourbon. It’s spirit-forward, so you just get subtle notes of ginger and rosemary.” A sprig of mint is added “mostly for aromatics and aesthetics. You get a little bit of that freshness; I think it lifts the citrus and everything from the cocktail. But you don’t really taste the mint.”

She continues, “It’s a nice holiday cocktail, ‘cause it’s not super sweet, not super overpowering — you still get a lot of the bourbon, but everything balances really nicely together. If you like bourbon and whiskey in general, it’s a really great cocktail.” But for those who aren’t normally bourbon drinkers, “there’s enough sweetness and brightness with the citrus that it’s really palatable.”

One ingredient that sets it apart is the ginger liqueur. “I really like playing around with Domain de Canton; it’s a really delicious ingredient that you don’t see in too many recipes. But for me at least, when I see it on a menu, I’m like ‘Ooh, I’m in!’ Because even a vodka soda with a splash of Domaine de Canton is top notch,” she says with a click of the tongue. She does acknowledge that “ginger can be a really intense flavor, but this one’s done really well. So it’s just a nice addition to the cocktail. And it’s fancy, ‘cause it’s French!”

Crisp and refreshing, the drink’s recipe was designed for a California winter. “In San Diego, it’s difficult to come up with a Christmas cocktail menu, because a lot of Christmas flavors are so bold and hearty, and it’s 70 degrees sometimes in December,” she reasons. “So you want to keep in mind finding cocktails that are suitable for the warmer weather, but still have the holiday theme.” For Wilhelm, the trick was just finding the right balance of ingredients. “A cocktail like the Heart of Gold is a good one, because you get a little bit of the Christmas flavor but it’s not super ‘Rosemary in your face!’”

The Corner Drafthouse's Heart of Gold

The Corner Drafthouse’s

Heart of Gold

1 1/2 oz. Bulleit bourbon

1/2 oz. lemon juice

1/2 oz. rosemary syrup

1/2 oz. Domain de Canton ginger liqueur

Stir ingredients and strain into a glass with ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint.