Saint Leo’s play on the classic 1930s Brown Derby brings a bit of Old Hollywood to the Square in Oxford, Mississippi.

With bourbon, grapefruit and honey, the Brown Derby has a far more glamorous backstory than the name sounds. Born in the height of Hollywood’s Golden Age, it was created at the Vendôme Club on the Sunset Strip, named in honor of a nearby landmark restaurant, the Brown Derby.

In Oxford, where writers (not film actors) are more likely sitting at the bar, The Starting Pistol is a modern interpretation of the Brown Derby cocktail—brightened with lemon, balanced with a bit of finely ground sugar and capped with an egg white foam.

Ahhh, kicking off a meal at Saint Leo on the historic Square sipping bourbon and aromatic bitters with honey binding all the fall feels. 

Cheers!

Before you shake: cocktail IQ
Why do bourbon, grapefruit and honey work so well together? We checked Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s blog. He explains: “The Brown Derby and the Challenges of Working with Whiskey.”