Old-fashioned (peg) Recipe

Toast the shredded coconut lightly in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden and fragrant, 3–5 minutes; allow to cool.

Place toasted coconut in a clean jar and pour 12 oz (about 1 1/2 cups) Woodford Reserve over it. Close jar and shake gently to combine.

Let sit at room temperature for 24 hours, then strain through a fine mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a clean bottle. Discard solids. This yields a coconut-washed bourbon; use 2 oz per cocktail.

Place chopped pitted Medjool dates and 2 oz neutral spirit in a small jar. Muddle or shake and let sit for 30–60 minutes to extract flavor.

Strain the infusion through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter into a small container, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Add 1 tablespoon simple syrup and stir to combine. Chill before using. Use 1/4 oz per cocktail.

Measure and combine

In a mixing glass, combine 2 oz coconut-washed Woodford Reserve bourbon, 1/2 oz Pedro Ximénez sherry, 1/4 oz Medjool-date liqueur, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters.

Chill and dilute

Add plenty of ice to the mixing glass and stir briskly for 20–30 seconds until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted (about 15–20% dilution).

Prepare glass

Place one large ice cube into a chilled rocks glass.

Strain

Strain the mixed cocktail over the large ice cube in the rocks glass using a julep or fine strainer to catch any small shards of ice.

Express and garnish

Express the oils from an orange peel by holding it over the glass, skin side down, and giving a firm twist to release the oils across the surface. Run the peel around the rim and drop it into the glass as garnish.

Serve immediately and enjoy. The PX adds raisiny sweetness and depth while the date liqueur layers in rich caramel notes and the coconut wash gives a rounded, soft coconut-sugar background.