Velvet Old Fashioned Recipe

Chill and prepare glass

If desired, chill an Old Fashioned (rocks) glass briefly in the freezer or fill with ice water while preparing the cocktail. Discard ice water before assembling.

Build the cocktail

In a mixing glass, add 2 oz Colkegan Single Malt Whiskey, 0.25 oz PX sherry, 0.25 oz vanilla syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Stir with ice

Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full rotations) until well-chilled and slightly diluted — target roughly 15–20% dilution depending on ice and temperature.

Strain

Discard any ice from the chilled rocks glass and place a single large ice cube or sphere in the glass. Strain the mixed cocktail over the large ice cube.

Garnish

Express the oils from 1 large orange peel over the drink by holding the peel skin-side down about 2–3 inches above the glass and giving it a firm twist so oils spray onto the surface. Rim the glass with the peel, drop it in or hang it on the rim. Add 1 house brandied cherry on a pick and rest it on the ice or float it on the surface.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

Prepare syrup

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 0.25 cup granulated sugar and 2 tbsp water. Warm gently, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves to make a light syrup. Do not boil. Remove from heat.

Combine with brandy

Place 8 pitted cherries into a clean, sterilized jar. Add 1 cup brandy, the cooled sugar syrup, 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise (or 1 tsp vanilla extract), and 1 strip of orange peel (zest only, avoid white pith). Stir briefly to combine.

Rest and macerate

Seal the jar and let cherries macerate at room temperature for at least 24 hours for a quick batch. For deeper flavor, refrigerate and macerate for 3–7 days, shaking the jar once a day. The cherries will darken and take on brandy and vanilla notes.

Store

Keep cherries in their brandy syrup refrigerated for up to 1 month, or longer if sterile canning methods are used. Use 1 cherry per Velvet Old Fashioned as garnish; reserve the syrup for topping or additional cocktails.