Chestnut Barrel Fernet Recipe

Prepare glass

Chill an old-fashioned glass by filling it with ice and setting it aside while you build the drink.

Measure and combine

In a mixing glass or small cocktail shaker, add 2 oz aged dark rum (or rye whiskey), 0.5 oz Fernet-Branca, 0.5 oz chestnut liqueur, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes barrel-aged bitters.

Stir with ice

Fill the mixing glass with plenty of ice and stir vigorously for 25–30 seconds until the mix is well chilled and slightly diluted (about 20–25% dilution by weight).

Prepare serving glass

Discard the ice from the chilled old-fashioned glass. Place a single large ice cube in the glass.

Strain

Double-strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared old-fashioned glass over the large ice cube to remove small shards of ice and ensure clarity.

Express and garnish

Take an orange peel and hold it skin-side down over the glass. Give it a firm twist to express the oils across the surface of the drink, then rub the rim with the peel and drop it into the glass as garnish.

If you want a smoky chestnut accent, place the chestnut or oak chips in a small heatproof spoon or metal smoking cup. Pour 0.25 oz high-proof spirit over the chips and carefully ignite. Once the chips are smoldering, invert the serving glass over the smoke to capture it for 10–20 seconds. Extinguish the chips, discard, then proceed to strain the cocktail into the smoked glass.