Applejack Fall Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

The Applejack old fashioned is a seasonal spin on the classic old fashioned cocktail. The fall old fashioned was introduced to me by my brother-in-law, Fred. Fred is a true cocktail guy so he makes cocktails by the book. He was actually a bartender in Boston for a few years while he was in law school. So you could say he “passes the bar.” Pun 100% intended.

After Thanksgiving dinner, we decided to have some post-turkey coma cocktails. I requested an old fashioned and to no surprise, I was presented with two options. The “fall special” or the traditional old fashioned. What kind of food blogger would I be if I hadn’t experimented with the “fall special?”

Building The Ultimate Fall Whiskey Cocktail

The Fall old fashioned tastes exactly how you’d expect it would. The secret ingredient is Laird’s Applejack brandy (There is no real substitute in my eys). It has very subtle notes of apple and cinnamon spice (and it’s actually made with fresh apples). Maple syrup is used in place of sugar or simple syrup (which is essentially sugar water), to infuse it with darker natural maple and vanilla flavors.

This cocktail used whiskey barrel-aged bitters or black walnut bitters in place of your typical Angostura bitters, which gives the drink more of an oaky flavor. Lastly, it’s garnished with an orange peel.

My personal final touch is the cinnamon stick—it completes the Fall circle of maple, orange, apple, and cinnamon. True flavors and aroma of fall in every sip.

Don’t Skip the Orange Peel

Don’t underestimate the power of the orange peel in an old fashioned. It’s simply not the same cocktail without it. The oils from the peel add a lot more flavor and aroma than you may think. It’s meant to help balance out the cocktail and add flavor.

The true old fashioned cocktail is not sweet, it also shouldn’t have more than an orange peel in it (no pulp). I’d compare it most to sweeter, chilled whiskey with citrusy, orange characteristics.

Okay, now I gotta go make me one of these because it’s 5 o’clock RIGHT HERE and I can’t take it anymore.

You’ll Also Love

• Fall sangria
• Gold rush cocktail with rosemary twist
• Fig and vanilla-infused old fashioned

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