Strawberry bourbon basil lemonade

Place strawberries and a 1/4 cup of water in a blender or food processor and pulse until puréed. In a medium saucepan over a medium high heat, add strawberry purée and 1 3/4 cups of water and heat until mixture begins to boil for 5 to 10 minutes. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely for about 30 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and discard solids. Chill syrup for at least 1 hour.
In a large pitcher, combine syrup, bourbon, water, lemon juice and bitters; stir for 1 minute. Add basil and stir to combine. Strain into 8 tall glasses filled with ice. Garnish each glass with a basil sprig.