Sleigh The Town Recipe

Combine and chill

In a container combine 12 oz bourbon with 1 tbsp softened unsalted butter. Stir briefly so butter disperses, then refrigerate or freeze until the butter solidifies (30–60 minutes).

Separate butter

Once solidified, pour bourbon through a fine mesh lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter into a clean container to remove the congealed butter. Repeat filtration once more if cloudy. Store refrigerated up to 1 week.

In a small saucepan melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling occasionally, until butter foams and turns a light golden-brown and smells nutty (2–4 minutes). Remove from heat immediately.

Add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup water to the browned butter and return to low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature before using. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.

If using egg white: dry shake (shake without ice) to emulsify. Combine 2 oz bourbon + 0.5 oz butter-washed bourbon (or use 2.5 oz bourbon total if not using butter-washed) + 0.5 oz butterscotch schnapps or brown butter syrup + 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice + 0.25 oz simple syrup + 0.5 oz egg white + 2 dashes angostura bitters in a cocktail shaker.

Dry shake vigorously for 15–20 seconds to create a froth (skip dry shake if not using egg white).

Add ice to the shaker and shake hard for 15–20 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Double strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass over either a large ice cube (rocks) or neat (coupe).

Grate a small amount of fresh nutmeg or cinnamon over the foam or surface (about a light dusting).

Garnish the rim or the top with a snickerdoodle cookie or sprinkle a teaspoon of crushed snickerdoodle crumbs across the foam.

Skewer 1–2 black walnut halves and rest on the glass or chop a few toasted black walnuts and sprinkle on top for texture and a pronounced black-walnut note.

Serve immediately and enjoy the interplay of buttered bourbon, snickerdoodle spice, and black walnut earthiness.