The Perfect Fall Cocktail BY DAN VIENNEAU
Fall is here and in many parts of Canada, this season can be almost painfully short. Let’s celebrate it while it lasts eh? If you’re perusing the pages of this magazine, there’s more than a good chance you’ve sipped a few Old Fashioneds over the years. It’s still the reigning king of the classic cocktail craze we’ve been witnessing for the better part of two decades now. For this cocktail we replace bourbon with: rum. I’m a scotch guy myself, like some of you likely are, however I’ve developed an appreciation for rum over the years, particularly Jamaican. We are using Appleton Estate 12 Rare Casks for this recipe because of its famous trademark Jamaican “funk” which adds a new layer of depth to an Old Fashioned due to its oak aged complexities (you can substitute your favourite rum). Allspice is a staple in Caribbean cooking so for the sweetener, let’s swap out the traditional white sugar cube for an allspice flavoured brown sugar/molasses syrup. I recommend using Angostura bitters as they work the best with these island flavours and every Old Fashioned needs a cocktail cherry. Our bar uses a dark cherry soaked in bourbon, brown sugar, and baking spices. If you don’t want to make your own you can use a Luxardo, or other commercially available cocktail cherry. For a bit of added funk (if you have it on hand) we float some Wray & Nephew Overproof rum on top, and finish the autumn cocktail with the requisite orange peel. When the family comes over for Thanksgiving dinner, serve one of these with their slice of pumpkin pie – I bet they will be quite impressed.
Rum Old Fashioned 1 SERVING 2 ounces (60 ml), Appleton Estate 12 Rare Casks ½ ounce (15 ml), brown sugar/molasses syrup (recipe follows)
2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters Cocktail cherry & Orange peel ¼ ounce (8 ml) Wray & Nephew Overproof
Brown Sugar & Molasses Syrup (1 CUP APX.) ½ cup (106 g), brown sugar ½ cup (118 ml), water ½ tablespoon (7.5 ml), fancy molasses 6, dried allspice pods In a small sauce pan - Over low heat, combine the brown sugar, molasses and water. In a small non stick pan - gently heat the allspice pods until they release the aromatics, then add to the liquid mixture. Simmer (5–10 minutes) - remove from heat and let cool. (Syrup will keep in your refrigerator for 2-3 weeks.) Fill a rocks glass or tumbler with ice then add the Appleton, syrup, bitters and cherry. Stir. Using a spoon, gently “float” the Wray & Nephew Overproof on top, garnish with a fresh piece of orange peel and serve.
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the whisky explorer magazine
FALL 2023
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