Spiced Maple Old Fashioned Cocktail

The Old Fasioned

The old fashioned cocktail has its roots in the early 19th century, but for many years old fashioned cocktails were not codified at all, and might have contained many ingredients that we would not recognize as part of an old fashioned today including orange curacao, absinthe, substantial amounts of water, and even other liquors besides whiskey. It wasn't until the 1880's that the modern-day whiskey old fashioned had a more settled recipe.

• 2 oz. of whiskey
• Sugar or simple syrup
• Angostura bitters
• Orange peel garnish  

There are multiple claims as to who invented the recipe, including the Pendennis Club, a Louisville gentlemen's club which claimed the recipe was created in honor of famed distiller Col. James E. Pepper.

Whatever its origins, the whiskey Old Fashioned remains a popular whiskey cocktail today, and bartenders and enthusiasts alike have come up with a multitude of variations on this classic cocktail, including the one Haley made on our visit to Skybound Distillery, which used muddled fruit  rather than sugar and bitters.  My version uses barrel aged maple syrup, cinnamon, and aromatic bitters.

Maple Spice Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

After Ama Keates graciously mixed her Boulvardier for us on camera, I figured, camera shy or not, I should probably do this one on camera too. So here I am mixing my maple spice old fashioned:

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The recipe for this cocktail is pretty straightforward. It does use barrel rested (aged) maple syrup and a spiced aromatic bitters.  Most New England distilleries seem to have a variation on the syrup, and I've added a link so you can buy the exact same bitters I use:

• 2 1/2 oz Bourbon. I tend to mix the brand up depending on my mood
• ~1 TSP barrel rested maple syrup
• 3 dashes Vena's Aromatic Bitters (warm spice)
• Cinnamon stick to stir and garnish

I pour a nickel-sized quantity of syrup in the glass, then add the bitters, then the bourbon and stir with the cinnamon stick.  The final touch is a jumbo ice cube.  It's one of godfather Dan's favorites, and I especially like in during a New England fall or winter evening.

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Cheers!

-Trevor