JACK-O’-LANTERN OLD FASHIONED
FALL OLD FASHIONED … no tricks, it’s a treat (but not too sweet)!
Consider this a seasonal play on an old fashioned. I admit, I came up with the name and developed the concept around it … but, WOW, it’s awesome. The Jack-o’-Lantern Old Fashioned wraps the deep warmth of Tennessee whiskey in a veil of spiced maple syrup, with subtle nods to pumpkin season that never overpower. A kiss of orange oil, the gentle char of a torched peel, and the quiet visuals of a dried blood orange garnish make it the kind of drink that doesn’t just taste like fall, it embodies it. Perfect for golden hour rituals, haunted dinner parties with delicious just-thematic-enough cocktails, or any moment you want to steep in the season’s spell.
JACK-O’-LANTERN OLD FASHIONED
Yield: 1 Cocktail
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 4 MinInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 19 Min
Ingredients
FOR THE COCKTAIL
FOR THE MAPLE PUMPKIN SPICE SYRUP
KITCHEN TOOLS
Instructions
TO MAKE THE MAPLE PUMPKIN SPICE SYRUP
- Combine all syrup ingredients in a small saucepan (that's your maple syrup, water, pure vanilla extract, cinnamon stick, whole clove, and allspice berry). Warm gently over low heat for about three to four minutes without simmering or boiling. Remove from heat and let steep for five to ten minutes, tasting until balanced and fragrant. Strain out solids, cool completely, and store in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to two weeks.
TO MIX YOUR COCKTAIL
- Add the whiskey, maple pumpkin spice syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir for twenty to thirty seconds until well chilled and silky.
TO GARNISH
- Strain your cocktail into a rocks glass over a large round ice cube. Torch your orange peel, express it over your glass, rub it around the rim, and then drop it in.
- Garnish with a dried blood orange slice or cinnamon stick.
