A Toast to Fall
There’s something harmonious about starting a fire and sipping on a dark cocktail. It’s an unspoken rule that the liquors turn darker as the leaves change colors and we move the white wines and rosé to a separate fridge for the season. With events moving indoors or perhaps outdoors close to a firepit, bourbon, whiskey, brandy help keep everyone warm and cheerful. As you settle into those chunky knit sweaters and cuddle up close to a fire, try these classic Fall cocktails that are staples in our house. All are sure to please.
No. 1 - Old Fashion
This simple and classic cocktail is a Fall favorite of mine and has been sipped for over 200 years. Created using 5 ingredients that you likely already have at home, a delicious cocktail is only minutes away.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Bourbon
1 tsp. Water
1/2 tsp. Sugar
3 dashes of Bitters
Orange slice or peel
How to:
Muddle the sugar, bitters and water in a cup and then add in the bourbon of your choice and ice. Top off with an orange peel or orange slice and enjoy!.
No. 2 - The Full Windsor
This is the perfect backup plan for any dinner party you host for the next few weeks. I always make a delicious batch of Full Windsor in the beginning of November, that is enjoyed over the course of several evenings or one fun night. Yes, the ingredient list is bit longer than other cocktails but you can make a large batch of this delicious drink and store in the refrigerator for an easy, ready to drink, mixed drink.
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
7 oz. Scotch whisky
7 oz. apple brandy
5 1⁄4 oz. Carpano Antica sweet vermouth
1 3⁄4 oz. Bénédictine liqueur
3 1⁄2 oz. water
1⁄4 oz. Angostura bitters
1⁄4 oz. Peychaud’s bitters
How to:
In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients until blended. Using a funnel, pour the cocktail into a clean 750-ml. bottle and seal with a cap or cork. Refrigerate until ready to drink. Serve it over large ice cubes in rocks glasses with orange twists.
No. 3 - The Top Hat
I was first introduced to this great cocktail while dining at The Polo Bar a few years back. The drink itself is not the easiest to make, however it’s great to craft when you have an attentive audience at your bar willing to try something new. It is a complex drink with a dynamic taste, but one that will surely impress any guest you have in attendance. I’ve learned with Cognac and the right cocktail, an evening is destined to be memorable.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Rémy Martin 1738 Cognac
1 Egg White
3/4 oz. Chamomile Liqueur
3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
Ice
Champagne
Angostura Bitters
How to:
Mix the egg white, cognac, chamomile liqueur and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously to fluff the egg white. Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake to chill. Serve in a coup and top off with a fine brut champagne and a swirl of bitters.
No. 4 - The Espresso Martini
The dinners at the RH farm start with light cocktails and move onto a heavier wine to accompany dinner. One of my favorite end of the evening cocktails is the Espresso Martini, which I’ve mastered to make and deliver in speedy time. Its the perfect antidote for a closing evening and one that always gets my guests out on the dance floor or up for a round of billiards.
Ingredients:
1 oz. Coffee - avoid using instant, brewed is best something with a little froth
1/2 oz. Kahlua
2 oz. Vodka - your choice
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup - bought or made at home (1 part sugar, 1 part water, boiled and completely cooled)
Coffee Beans for Garnish
How to:
Important: brew the coffee and let it cool completely. Add ice to a cocktail shaker then add the cooled coffee, simple syrup, kahlua and vodka. Shake very hard so the foam is formed then strain it quickly into a martini glass to ensure foam stays on top. Top with coffee beans, serve.
No 5. - A Man’s Manhattan
The Manhattan cocktail is one of the oldest American cocktails, not to mention of of the easiest. The drink traces it’s history to the 1870s when served at a banquet at the Manhattan Club, it was an instant success – and became known as a Manhattan. I’ve always been a fan of the classic Manhattan, but have leaned toward using a bourbon in my home bar. This drink rich and smokey at the same time, perfect for a cold evening.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Woodford Reserve
1 oz. sweet vermouth
3 dashes orange bitters
1 large ice cube
1 Luxardo cherry to garnish
1 strip orange peel to garnish
How to:
Combine the bourbon, vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass. Add about 1 cup of ice. Stir for 30 seconds. Pour over ice cube in an old fashioned glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and a strip of orange zest if desired.