Basil Hayden Dark Rye Recipe

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass, add 2 oz Basil Hayden Dark Rye bourbon, 0.5 oz amaro, 0.25 oz demerara (dark brown sugar) simple syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, and 1 dash orange bitters.

Stir and chill

Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes. Stir gently but steadily for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full revolutions) until the cocktail is well chilled and slightly diluted — the glass should feel very cold and the outside slightly frosted.

Prepare glass

Place one large ice cube or an ice sphere into a chilled Old-Fashioned (rocks) glass.

Strain

Using a julep or hawthorne strainer, strain the mixed cocktail over the prepared ice in the rocks glass so the liquid pours cleanly and leaves any small ice shards behind in the mixing glass.

Express orange oils

Hold an orange peel about 2–3 inches above the drink, skin side down. Give the peel a firm twist to express the oils over the surface of the cocktail, then rub the peel around the rim of the glass to transfer additional aroma.

Add basil (optional)

If using a basil leaf, clap it once between your hands to release its aroma, then rest it atop the drink or tuck it alongside the ice for a fresh herbal note that complements the rye's spice.

Serve immediately. Sip slowly to enjoy the interplay of spicy rye, bitter-sweet amaro, and caramelized sugar with bright citrus and herbal aromatics.