The old fashioned cocktail recipe hasn’t changed much since the 1860s (or earlier) for a reason. When made well, it’s perfect. Coffee and whiskey are great partners however, and we like this caffeinated twist perfect for iced coffee season.

Ingredients 

1 sugar cube

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

2 oz bourbon or rye

1 oz cold strong coffee (or chilled espresso)

Ice

Twist of lemon

Instructions

Place sugar cube and bitters in a rocks glass. Add a splash of the coffee and muddle well. Add the bourbon or rye, followed by the remaining coffee and ice. Stir until chilled. Garnish with a twist of lemon.

If you’ve ever added a splash of whiskey to your mug of tea, you know the flavors can pair very nicely. Tea softens whiskey’s bite while whiskey adds warmth and complexity. Inspired by the success of our Earl Grey Goose, we decided to see what a tea  infusion would do to a traditional old-fashioned. We decided to use spicy and robust rye as the base for our Spiced Chai Black Tea infusion. With a strong flavor of its own, the tea needed to steep for only two hours to infuse well.

Instructions

Add 1 tablespoon of loose leaf chai black tea and 8 ounces of rye whiskey to a sealable jar. Let sit for 2 hours, strain the tea and transfer to a bottle before using.

With more time, the subtle tea flavor will enhance, but the spices become unpleasantly strong. With a straight, unflavored tea, try infusing a few hours longer or overnight to start.

Spicy Old Fashioned Recipe

Add a little (or more if you like) simple syrup to an old-fashioned glass with ice.
Add a dash of bitters.
Add 2 ounces of chai-infused rye whiskey
Stir
Garnish with a twist of orange

Hopefully, this recipe inspires experimentation. Scotch, bourbon, rye, and tea share many characteristics  and can enhance one another, whether enjoyed side by side or blended. Mix and match and let us know what works for you!