A measured teaspoon of maple gives this bourbon drink a woodsy sweetness. Black walnut bitters and orange peel supply the aromatic edge. Use commercially prepared bitters and disclose walnut; check the product for allergens.

Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned

  • 2 fluid ounces bourbon
  • 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
  • 2 dashes aromatic bitters
  • 1 dash commercially prepared black walnut bitters
  • 1 wide washed orange peel
  • ice for stirring and 1 large serving cube
  • 1 food-grade cinnamon stick, optional aroma garnish
  1. Add bourbon, maple and bitters to a mixing glass two-thirds filled with ice.
  2. Stir for 20 to 25 seconds, until cold and maple is dispersed. Ice size changes dilution; this is a starting time.
  3. Strain over a large cube in a rocks glass. Express the orange peel over the drink and place it in the glass. Rest the cinnamon stick on a separate saucer for aroma. Serve immediately.

Yield: 1 cocktail. Time: 5 minutes.

Adjust the balance

One US teaspoon is 1/6 fluid ounce. For less sweet, use 3/4 teaspoon maple; for sweeter use 1 1/2 teaspoons. Rye can replace bourbon ounce for ounce. In place of black walnut bitters, use 1 additional dash aromatic, orange or chocolate bitters ; flavors differ. Household eating spoons vary, so use a measuring teaspoon. Choose whiskey you already enjoy.

Fall variations

For apple-cider maple, simmer 1/2 cup pasteurized cider in a small pan until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes, checking the volume. Cool promptly, refrigerate and use within 24 hours. Add 1/2 fluid ounce of this reduction to the main cocktail and use 1/2 teaspoon maple; prepare up to 4 variants from this component. Allow about 30 minutes plus cooling from scratch.

For smoky maple, replace 1/2 fluid ounce bourbon with 1/2 fluid ounce commercially bottled smoky whiskey, leaving 1 1/2 ounces bourbon. No home smoking or flame procedure is supplied. For maple pear, add 1 teaspoon pear liqueur and reduce maple to 1/2 teaspoon. Purchased maple-cinnamon food syrup may replace maple at 1 teaspoon; its sweetness varies and its label governs storage.

Six-drink batch

Combine 12 fluid ounces bourbon, 2 tablespoons maple, 12 dashes aromatic bitters, 6 dashes black walnut bitters and 1 1/2 fluid ounces cold water. Stir to disperse maple and refrigerate covered for at least 2 hours; make no more than a day ahead. Divide the full batch into 6 equal portions, about 2.4 fluid ounces plus bitters, over large cubes. Finish each with orange peel and optional cinnamon on a saucer. The water is a house starting dilution, not a promise to duplicate stirring with ice.

Serving

A rocks glass suits the short pour. Serve with cheese, toasted nuts or fruit if desired. This is an alcoholic cocktail; the non-bourbon bitters substitutions still contain alcohol unless their labels say otherwise.

Recipe framework: IBA Old Fashioned . This recipe and its variations use house maple and flavor amounts rather than reproducing the IBA sugar-cube formula. Wash the orange and refrigerate cider reduction promptly; FDA serving safe buffets supports temperature handling.

Preparation and handling references: FDA juice safety .