Bulleit Bourbon, Spiced Pear Liqueur, Lemon, Simple Syrup, Anis, Cinnamon, Brown Sugar Syrup Recipe

Make syrup

Combine dark brown sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the whole star anise and half cinnamon stick. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 minutes to infuse. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, covered, at least 15 minutes. Strain out the star anise and cinnamon; reserve syrup. Yields roughly 1.5–2 tbsp syrup; use 1 tbsp in the drink recipe (you can store extras refrigerated up to 2 weeks).

If you don't have a spiced pear liqueur, you can quickly macerate pear brandy: combine pear brandy (4 oz) with a small pinch of mulling spices and half a star anise in a sealed jar and rest at room temperature for 24–48 hours, tasting after 24 hours. Strain before using. Use 0.75 oz in the cocktail in place of store-bought spiced pear liqueur.

Chill: If desired, chill a coupe or rocks glass by filling with ice and water while you prepare the cocktail.

Add ingredients to shaker: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour 2 oz Bulleit Bourbon, 0.75 oz spiced pear liqueur, 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup, and 0.5–1 tbsp (approx 0.5 oz) of the prepared brown sugar–anise syrup depending on desired sweetness and spice intensity. (If your brown sugar syrup quantity is measured differently, add about 0.5 oz.)

Shake: Secure the shaker and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Prepare glass: Discard ice/water from the chilled glass. If you like, rim a portion of the glass with a little brown sugar or lightly brush a pear slice with syrup and press to rim before pouring.

Strain: Double strain the cocktail into the chilled coupe (or an old-fashioned glass over one large ice cube if preferred) using a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer to remove small ice shards and any spice bits.

Garnish: Float a thin pear slice on the surface. Finish with a small dash of ground cinnamon over the pear slice or on top of the drink for aroma. Optionally thread a whole star anise onto a pick and rest it across the rim for presentation and extra aroma.