Wild Peppertini

A bourbon-and-peppermint-schnapps shot or martini. Equal parts of each, half ounce each, chilled and strained into a shot glass or coupe. Drinks warm-bourbon and bright-mint, named for the wild-mint character the schnapps brings to the bourbon base.

Wild Peppertini

4.59 from 12 votes

Calories: 84kcal

Prep Time: 3

Total Time: 5

Ingredients

▢ .5 oz Bourbon Whiskey
▢ .5 oz Peppermint Schnapps

Instructions

▢
Combine. chill and strain into either a shot glass or ups glass.

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 84kcal (4%)Carbohydrates: 5g (2%)Sugar: 5g (6%)

Shot

Where it came from

Wild Peppertini is an American back-bar shot in the bourbon-and-mint lane, designed for fast pouring at a busy bar. The build pairs bourbon with peppermint schnapps in equal parts, chilled and strained into a small glass. The recipe came out of late-night cocktail bar culture, where the peppermint-shot category was a chill-after-dinner pour.

It sits in the peppermint-shot family with the Peppermint Patty, the Mintini and the Snowshoe. All three lean on peppermint schnapps plus a contrasting spirit for the chill-mint character. Wild Peppertini separates itself with the bourbon base, which gives the shot a warmer body than the gin or vodka versions and balances the mint with caramel notes.

Best ordered at a cocktail bar after dinner, a back-bar after closing or any setting where a chilled shot serves as a digestif. The drink is approachable, warm-bourbon-and-bright-mint, and works as a small-format pour rather than a long cocktail.

What it tastes like

Sweet peppermint up front, soft bourbon through the middle, sharp menthol-cool on the finish. The chill from the strain locks the mint character at the front of the palate; the bourbon lifts as the shot warms in the mouth. Reads as a digestif shot, not a stiff cocktail.

Around 30 percent ABV in the shot once chilled and strained. Half ounce of bourbon at 40 percent ABV plus half ounce of peppermint schnapps at 22 percent ABV gives a stiff short pour. Each shot glass or coupe holds about an ounce of the mixed drink.

The technique

Combine the bourbon and the peppermint schnapps in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Stir or shake briefly, eight to ten seconds, to chill without diluting too much. Strain into a chilled shot glass or a small coupe. Drink in one pull or sip across two minutes; either works for the format.

The chill is the technique. Pouring the spirits warm into the glass kills the mint-cool character; chilling them in the shaker locks the menthol up front. Use ice in the shaker, not in the serving glass; ice in the glass over-dilutes the small-format pour.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

The bourbon

Use: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey or any 40 percent ABV bourbon.
Skip: Single-barrel premium bourbon. Wasted in the small-format pour.
Why: Bourbon is the warm body and the caramel base. Standard 40 percent ABV bourbon gives the warmth without overpowering the mint; premium bourbon spends notes that the menthol cool of the schnapps hides anyway.

The peppermint schnapps

Use: Rumple Minze, DeKuyper Peppermint Schnapps or any 20 to 30 percent ABV peppermint schnapps.
Skip: Creme de menthe. Wrong texture, different sweetness.
Why: Peppermint schnapps is the menthol cool and the mint character. The schnapps format integrates with the bourbon at the small-format pour; creme de menthe runs heavy and the green colour clashes with the bourbon amber.

Three Variations

Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.

The standard build

Wild Peppertini, classic shot: Half ounce each of bourbon and peppermint schnapps, chilled in shaker, strained into a shot glass.

The big build

Wild Peppertini Martini: Two ounces total at the same ratio, strained into a chilled coupe with a mint leaf garnish. Same flavour, longer drink.

The chocolate build

Wild Peppertini Chocolate: Half ounce each plus a quarter ounce of creme de cacao. Loses the dry mint finish, gains a chocolate-mint character.

What if I don't have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No peppermint schnapps?

Creme de menthe plus a half teaspoon of vodka to thin the texture. Different colour and sweetness, holds the mint role.

No bourbon?

Rye whiskey or Tennessee whiskey. Different brand profile, holds the warm-spirit base.

No cocktail shaker?

A mason jar with a tight lid works. The chill is the requirement, not the brand of shaker.

No coupe?

A martini glass or a small rocks glass for the bigger build. Shot glass is the small-format default.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Wild Peppertini?

Half ounce of bourbon and half ounce of peppermint schnapps, chilled in a shaker and strained into a shot glass or coupe. Two ingredients, small-format pour.

Why is it called a Wild Peppertini?

The Wild references Wild Turkey bourbon, a common bourbon for the build, and the wild-mint character the schnapps brings to the cocktail. The Peppertini name plays on Peppermint plus martini, since the build can serve as either a shot or a small martini.

How strong is a Wild Peppertini?

Around 30 percent ABV in the shot once chilled and strained. Roughly equal to one standard drink per one-ounce serving.

What does it taste like?

Sweet peppermint up front, soft bourbon through the middle, sharp menthol-cool on the finish. Reads as a digestif shot with the chill character defining the front of the palate.

Can I use rye whiskey?

Yes. Rye gives a sharper spice character that contrasts the mint differently than bourbon; both work for the build. Avoid scotch; the smoke clashes with the peppermint.

Should I serve it over ice?

Not for the shot version. The small-format pour over-dilutes within a minute on ice; chill in the shaker and strain into a chilled glass. The martini version can use a single large ice cube for slow dilution.

Is it the same as a Peppermint Patty?

No. A Peppermint Patty uses peppermint schnapps plus chocolate liqueur. The Wild Peppertini swaps the chocolate liqueur for bourbon, giving a warmer body and no chocolate note.

Can I make Wild Peppertinis for a group?

Yes. Mix the bourbon and the peppermint schnapps in a small pitcher in advance, chill in the freezer for thirty minutes, pour into shot glasses or coupes at service. The freezer chill replaces the shaker chill at scale.

From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated May 8, 2026 · 1 min read