This Sweet, Fruity Cocktail Was One Of George Washington's All-Time Favorites

Although the word cocktail didn't appear in print until the early 19th century, mixed drinks were popular during the formative years of the U.S. Since the 1690s, American taverns served egg-based flips — boozy eggnog-like creations with milk, spices, and rum. And in the South, farmers crafted a precursor to the mint julep with whisky and mint. It goes as no surprise, then, that the Founding Fathers also enjoyed a stiff drink, in addition to well-known favorite cocktails of several U.S. presidents.

Even George Washington, who also administered a distillery, loved a tipple, with the Cherry Bounce gaining special reverence in historical papers. In fact, there's even a written recipe for the cocktail in his estate's documents. The way he drank it, this concoction consisted of macerated cherries soaked in brandy, and complemented with sugar as well as spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves. The mixture would be infused and fermented for over a month, producing a sweet, tart, and boozy beverage. While we don't know how often he imbibed, it's plausible to imagine the Founding Father cheering one chalice after another of the cherry stuff.

The Cherry Bounce is a type of cordial, a commonplace drink at the time. Since distillation was lower quality, such strong doses of fruit and sugar would soften the boozy burn. Plus, it was a delicious vessel for local ingredients; records evince cherry trees from Mt. Vernon were used for George Washington's cocktail creation. With weeks-long shelf stability, it was a way of making the most of produce. Even the pits would be infused for added flavor in Martha Washington's recipe.

The precise origins of the Cherry Bounce are unknown, but the cocktail's most strongly intertwined with North Carolina, as it is even mentioned in a 1790 letter written by Abigail Adams, wife of John Adams, who cited that the Dutch introduced the drink to the New York area. Historical documents also note that George Washington carried a flask of the stuff on a trip to the Allegheny Mountains. 

Clearly, the cordial circulated in popularity at the time; perhaps the Founding Fathers even drank it together. Regardless, such records and tales cement the Cherry Bounce as an influential beverage of the time. Like the historical Fish House Punch, it's an intriguing look into the drinking culture of America's most iconic individuals.