Prisoner Recipe

Chill glass

Put an old-fashioned glass (rocks glass) in the freezer or fill it with ice water while you build the cocktail so it's nicely chilled.

Measure ingredients

Measure bourbon, apple brandy, sweet vermouth, amaro, orange curaçao, and simple syrup using a jigger and have bitters ready.

In a mixing glass, add large ice (enough to fill the glass). Pour in 2 oz bourbon, 0.5 oz apple brandy, 0.5 oz sweet vermouth, 0.25 oz amaro, 0.25 oz orange curaçao, and 0.25 oz simple syrup.

Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters over the ice. Stir the mixture briskly with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full turns) until the outside of the mixing glass becomes slightly frosted and the liquid is well chilled and diluted (~15–20% dilution).

Discard ice water from the chilled rocks glass (if used). Strain the mixed cocktail over one or two large ice cubes or a large ice sphere in the glass using a Hawthorne or julep strainer.

Express the oils of one orange peel over the drink by holding the peel skin-side down about 3–4 inches above the glass and giving it a firm squeeze to release the oils. Rim the glass with the peel and drop it into the cocktail (or discard if you prefer a clean look).

Optionally, garnish with a Luxardo cherry on a pick and rest it on the ice.

Serve immediately. The recipe yields a balanced, slightly fruity, and herbal spirit-forward cocktail inspired by Napa-bar style; sip slowly.