Stranahan's Single Barrel Recipe

Chill glass

Place an Old Fashioned (rocks) glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to chill it; discard ice water before assembling.

Measure and combine

Add 2 oz Stranahan's Single Barrel whiskey, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters into a mixing glass or a separate stirring vessel.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes and stir gently for about 20–30 seconds (approximately 15–20 full rotations) until the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted (about 15–20% dilution).

Prepare glass and strain

If using smoked sea salt, rub the rim lightly with the orange peel to moisten and dip a small section into the smoked salt for a subtle accent (optional). Add a large ice cube to the chilled rocks glass and strain the stirred cocktail over the ice.

Garnish and finish

Express the orange peel over the drink by holding it skin-side down about 3–4 inches above the glass and giving it a firm twist to spray the oils onto the surface; rub the peel around the glass rim and drop it into the drink. Add a Luxardo cherry if desired.

Serve immediately and enjoy. The recipe highlights the malt-forward character of Stranahan's while the bitters and small amount of syrup balance the palate without overwhelming the whiskey.

For a subtle smoke note without altering the whiskey, briefly torch the orange peel with a kitchen torch after expressing oils, holding the flame to the peel’s oils for 1–2 seconds before dropping it into the glass.