Most people reading this have probably never even heard of cherry bounce, the delightful cordial made from cherries, whiskey, or brandy, and spices that can be used in place of vermouth in a Manhattan, sipped over ice, or added to eggnog. Over the years I’ve heard about cherry bounce in the context of George Washington, and, in fact, my friends at Mount Vernon’s George Washington Distillery recently made a batch of it from Martha Washington’s papers in George Washington’s Presidential Library.
“There’s variations on these recipes,” says Mount Vernon director of historic trades and head miller and distiller Steve Bashore. “Brandy’s involved and spices like cinnamon, and these punches were very popular in the 18th century, but not just for entertaining. We know that Washington carried bounce in his canteens…
