Brown Sugar Spiced Old Fashioned Recipe

Combine and dissolve

In a small saucepan combine dark brown sugar and water. Add whole cloves, cinnamon stick and ginger slices. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until sugar fully dissolves (do not boil vigorously).

Simmer and steep

Once the sugar dissolves, reduce heat to low and let the mixture gently simmer for 5 minutes to extract spice flavors. Remove from heat and allow to steep another 15 minutes for fuller flavor.

Finish and store

Strain out solids through a fine mesh sieve. Stir in vanilla extract while still warm. Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a sealed bottle and refrigerate. Yields about 5–6 oz. Keeps 2 weeks refrigerated.

Prepare glass and ice

Place one large clear ice cube into an Old Fashioned (rocks) glass.

Build the cocktail

Add 0.5 oz spiced brown sugar simple syrup to the glass, followed by 3 dashes Angostura bitters and 2 oz Stranahan's. Gently stir with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds to properly chill the drink and slightly dilute the syrup.

Toast the rosemary

Using tongs, briefly hold the rosemary sprig over an open flame (kitchen torch or gas stove) until the tips begin to smoke and release aromatic oils, about 3–6 seconds. Do not burn; you're aiming for fragrant smoke.

Finish presentation

Express the dehydrated orange wheel over the glass by squeezing it gently to release a burst of orange oils, then drop the wheel onto the ice or balance on the rim. Lay the toasted rosemary sprig across the top of the glass (or insert into the ice). Serve immediately.