maple old fashioned

This maple old fashioned is liquid ambrosia. It’s a sweet, boozy, orange-scented cocktail that bourbon lovers will want to sip all winter long. It’s dangerously simple and flavorful.

Ambrosia is the first word that comes to mind when I think about this maple old fashioned. Woodsy, spicy, maple-rich ambrosia. It’s one of those cozy, warming cocktails I want to drink all winter long. I’ll be honest here— I love old fashioned cocktails, but my favorite part is the sweet syrupy reward at the bottom of the glass. The first few sips can sometimes be a little too harsh.

But here, the maple syrup is mixed with the bourbon so the cocktail is equally sweetened throughout. It’s a smooth, silky cocktail with warm notes of vanilla, caramel, maple, coffee, chocolate, dried fruit and orange. If you love whiskey, this is your drink.

What makes this maple old fashioned so good?

• Maple syrup: the key to this cocktail. The caramelized, roasted flavor of maple syrup deepens the sweet aromas of Bourbon. Plus, it can be easily stirred into the whiskey without any having to make any special syrups. For the most robust maple flavor, use Grade A: Dark Color & Robust Flavor (formerly Grade B).
• Bourbon: This type of American whiskey is smooth, soft and mellow. It’s made from a base of corn and aged in charred new oak, which gives it sweet notes of caramel, dried fruit, vanilla and toast. You don’t need to use top-shelf here— those should be savored and sipped. We love to use mid-tier Bourbons in old fashioned cocktails, such as those from Woodford Reserve, Elijah Craig and Michter’s.
• Orange bitters: I love the zip of fresh citrus in contrast to the roasty, caramelized maple and bourbon flavors— it livens up the cocktail. We use Angostura Orange bitters here, which tend to have the most intense flavor profile of bitter orange peel and orange zest, but any orange bitters will do!
• Giant, clear ice cube: Clear ice is tricky to make, but boy does it make a difference in an old fashioned! I have found the most reliable way to get mostly clear ice is with the True Cubes clear ice cube tray. They look stunning! Plus, the big cubes melt more slowly so your maple syrup old fashioned won’t get watery.
• Orange zest: Don’t underestimate the intense fragrance in an orange zest. A quick spritz of the oils over the surface of the drink will transform the cocktail, lifting all of the flavors and adding a delicious freshness. We go the extra mile and rub the zest along the rim of the glass, too, to maximize those orange oils.

How to make a maple old fashioned

1. Mix bourbon, bitters and maple syrup in a separate glass
2. Place large ice cube in a rocks glass
3. Pour cocktail over top
4. Spritz drink with orange zest, rub it along the rim of the glass and garnish

what’s in a maple old fashioned?

• Bourbon
• Maple syrup
• Orange bitters
• Orange zest

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A few notes on this old fashioned recipe:

• It doesn’t get easier than this maple syrup old fashioned. I prefer to mix it in a separate glass for the most uniform drink, but feel free to assemble it straight in the rocks glass for an extra simple drink!
• This drink is a little on the sweeter side, so of you like your old fashioned's stiff just pull back ¼ oz on the maple syrup. Or beef it up with a heavier pour of bourbon.
• I love to use a few dashes of orange bitters here to amplify the citrus notes, but angostura bitters are delicious too, if that’s all you have.
• If you really want to take this cocktail to the next level, garnish it with a few of these brandied cherries!
• For more fun variations on old fashioned cocktails, try our rum old fashioned and applejack old fashioned!

more bourbon cocktails to try!

maple bourbon sidecar with orange sugar rim

chai whiskey flip

hot mulled cider recipe with pear, ginger and whiskey

bourbon milk punch with fresh nutmeg

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