Almost one year ago my brother-in-law, Dave, married my new sister-in-law, Jaime, up in chilly Dover, New Hampshire. The wedding was held in an updated river mill industrial space, which was elegantly balanced by rustic farm tables topped with beautiful table runners of lush greenery and an overall classic aesthetic. I was honored to be a groomsman, which meant I wore a really sharp tuxedo. My wife was the “best gal,” and made jaws drop in a stunning sleeveless jumpsuit (Here’s a photo of us and a clown nose).
There were so many great moments during that wedding, so it’s fun to look back on it. And since this is a food blog, it makes sense that I’d focus on that aspect of it. Or, more specifically, one of the couple’s signature cocktails.
I don’t drink very often—maybe one cocktail per month at most. But when I do, my glass is either full of Laphroaig scotch or an Old-Fashioned. The latter is a little cheaper, so that’s what I drink more of. And much to my delight, it was one of the drinks at the wedding, with a sweet twist.
If you read this blog with any regularity you know that I’ve been on a maple kick for the past month or so (see: Coffee Scones with Maple Glaze and Fall Tacos with Maple Tempeh and Pumpkin Crema). So it makes sense that as we’re coming up on the anniversary of Dave and Jaime’s wedding I’ve been thinking about the Maple Old-Fashioned I enjoyed that evening. I don’t know exactly what the recipe was that night, but as a veteran of the drink, I felt pretty confident that I could use it as inspiration and come up with my own.
This one takes the usual Old-Fashioned ingredients—bourbon, orange, cherry, bitters—and adds a couple fall-centric flavors: the aforementioned maple and cinnamon. It’s great for holiday get-togethers or when you’re relaxing alone on a Friday night. Even better, it makes a great signature cocktail at your amazing wedding. Happy early first anniversary, Dave and Jaime!
Maple Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 splash of water
- 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- 1 dash ground cinnamon
- 2 oz. rye whiskey or bourbon
- 1 orange slice
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 maraschino cherry
Instructions
- Add maple syrup, water, bitters, cinnamon and whiskey to a rocks glass. Stir until syrup has dissolved.
- Add one large ice cube or several small ones to glass and garnish with orange slice, cinnamon stick and maraschino cherry.
Nutrition
Hi Steven,
I’m wondering how you know that bitters are safe for people with nut allergies? I can’t seem to find any real information on the ingredients of Angostura’s anywhere.
Thanks!
Jessie
Hi Jessie. Great question! The ingredients do seem to be a little elusive online, but I was able to track them down eventually. Here’s what’s on the bottle: Alcohol, Water, Sugar, Gentian, Natural Flavorings, Caramel Color and Added Colors. The only thing I questioned in there was the gentian. But after researching that a bit I learned that it’s an herb—or more specifically a bark that’s often used medicinally.
I’ll also note that these are the ingredients of the Angostura Aromatic Bitters, which seems to be the most common brand out there. But there are also a lot of smaller companies getting into making their own bitters with different flavors and ingredients, so there might be others that do incorporate nuts. So check the label if you go with a different kind.
Enjoy the drink!