This is another one of those instances where I assumed the recipe was already on my website and lo and behold… it wasn’t. So here we go, although many of you have already found this one in other locations (it can also be found on page 40 of The Bar Book, for example) I think it’s still important to have it here on my site.
I came up with this one a VERY long time ago, for an event sponsored by Highland Park scotch whisky. It’s a rare one for me, in that it contains a Tiki-level number of ingredients. But I feel strongly that each one is important, and each contributes to bringing out the unique characteristics of the two main ingredients: scotch whisky and fresh apple cider.
I love apple cider cocktails. I would imagine the first one I ever heard of was the Stone Fence, which I learned about in David Wondrich’s cocktail history masterpiece, Imibibe! many years ago. And so this is a sort of homage to that very old style of drink, again updated with a bunch of other ingredients. [I find a Stone Fence to be pretty delicious but fairly boring. I remember when Imbibe! came out there were a ton of “craft cocktail” bars with a Stone Fence on their menu and honestly I found it to be a little lazy]
Scotch whisky comes to the party with a ton of apple notes already, so I use it here to bolster the apple cider. The Averna, allspice, bitters, and brown sugar syrup are all there to make that fresh-pressed apple cider sing even more. Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a ton of apple trees and therefore apple cider producers, so this time of year is all about the celebration of those flavors.
Anyway, it’s on our menu now at Pacific Standard, hence the blog post (since we’re getting a ton of inquiries for the recipe). We serve this one on pebble ice with a garnish of fanned apple slices, but crushed ice works just as well, and plain old ice cubes are great, too. Big thanks to my business partner Benjamin Amberg for the beautiful photography!
Flannel Shirt Print Me
- 13⁄4 oz/50 ml scotch whisky
- 11⁄2 oz/45 ml fresh apple cider
- 1⁄2 oz/15 ml Averna amaro
- 1⁄4 oz/7.5 ml fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp/5 ml 2:1 brown sugar syrup
- 1⁄2 tsp/2.5 ml allspice dram
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Combine the Scotch, apple cider, Averna amaro, lemon juice, Demerara syrup, allspice dram, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Shake with ice cubes and strain over fresh ice into the glass of your choice. Garnish with an orange twist or apple slice.
Recipe printed courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com
Best sub for Averna amaro? I have Montenegro, Nonino, Angostura on hand…
None of those are really that close but I’d probably suggest Nonino first, or Montenegro in a pinch. If using Nonino I might suggest bumping up the brown sugar syrup just a touch as Nonino is much more austere and muscular than Averna. Cheers.
My guests do not like scotch, can I substitute rye or bourbon? I have a smoker, so maybe smoke the bourbon? Thank you!
You can substitute anything you like, Linda. It was designed for scotch, it tastes best with scotch, but you can use whatever you like.
This is such a perfect autumn cocktail. I will be using your batch calculator to scale up and make for a House concert that we are hosting in a couple of days.
I love hearing that, Jen!
have you tried clarifying this? it sounds like a perfect cocktail for a holiday party but i’d want to make it days in advance.
There’s no need to clarify it if the only reason you’re doing so is to make it days in advance of a party. Simply keep it in the fridge for those days, or freeze it if needed longer.
Thanks for the reply regarding UK/US apple cider and I have the bar book so will have a look over the juicing chapter tomorrow!
Thanks for the recipe. In the UK, apple cider is a different thing than in the US. I’ve googled the US version but can’t get a clear answer… Is the apple cider in your recipe referring to plain, unfiltered apple juice or is it apple juice simmered with mulling spices and then cooled? Thanks in advance.
Plain, unfiltered apple juice. I know it’s crazy confusing, even here in the States. I talk about it in the juicing chapter of The Bar Book.
Sounds wonderful – do have a go-to allspice dram recipe, or a retail option that you would recommend?
I recommend St. Elizabeth, it’s widely available and is a great product.
Any other scotch recommendations that work well? Typically have Monkey Shoulder on hand for cocktails, but looks like the original Highland Park is peated
Monkey Shoulder works great for this one.
Nice! What scotch do you recommend and any tips on the allspice dram? And just to confirm, this is not spiced apple cider, correct?
Thanks!
Regular fresh pressed apple juice/cider. I recommend St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram and your favorite scotch.
is there a cutoff percentage off the top of your head for that? i’d guess by 30 not so much?
I wouldn’t go much higher than 25.
This cocktail sounds amazing. I plan to make a bottle using the Batch Calculator. Do you recommend a 25% dilution? Is the alcohol content high enough that I can put it in the freezer?
25% is correct. The ABV is low enough that it will turn slushy if your freezer is cold enough.