This one’s promoted from the comments section on the Applejack Rabbit—
Right after I gushed about how Misty Kalkofen had turned me on to a few new applejack cocktails, Misty chimed in and idly mentioned that she’s been mixing up “a ton of Applejack Old Fashioneds using maple syrup and Fee Brothers Whiskey-Barrel Aged Bitters (eschewing the fruit, of course).”
Now, Misty, you can’t just drop a drink mention like that and expect me not to try it. After all, I’m now a certified applejack fiend, and as for the Fee’s Whiskey-Barrel Aged Aromatic Bitters — well, anything made with that ambrosial concoction is destined for my gullet in short order.
So, I tried it — and so should you (the rest of you, that is — I’m sure Misty has already tapped one or two). As with the potent bunny, the marriage of applejack and maple works brilliantly in an Old Fashioned (though since maple syrup is more concentrated, sugar-wise, than ordinary simple syrup, you’ll probably want to dial back the dose a notch). And those deep, chewy notes of cinnamon and cardamom in the Fee’s bitters brings it all together.
Applejack Old Fashioned a la Green Street
In an Old Fashioned glass, build:
- 1 tsp (or to taste) real maple syrup
- 2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Aromatic Bitters*
- 2 ounces Laird’s Applejack
Give a little stir, a big chunk or two of ice, another little stir, then garnish if you like.
* If you can’t find the barrel-aged bitters, then Fee’s Old Fashioned Aromatic Bitters will do (or, Angostura in a pinch). But really — and I haven’t harped on this quite enough — the Whisky Barrel Aged Bitters is an exceptionally fine product. If you can’t find it where you live, give the good folks at Fee’s a call and see if you can order some — they’re really worth the effort.
