Brown Sugar Spiced Old Fashioned Recipe

Make syrup

Place the dark brown sugar in a small heatproof container. Pour the hot water over the sugar and stir vigorously until fully dissolved and smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Let cool to room temperature. This yields roughly 3/4 to 1 ounce per 1 tbsp sugar; measure 1/2 oz for the cocktail. Store leftover syrup refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Chill an Old Fashioned (rocks) glass by filling it with ice or placing it briefly in the freezer while you assemble the cocktail.

In a mixing glass, add the brown sugar syrup 1/2 oz, allspice dram (or 1/4 oz allspice syrup) and the dashes of orange bitters and optional Angostura bitters.

Add 2 oz bourbon to the mixing glass.

Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir gently for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full turns) until the mixture is well chilled, slightly diluted, and properly integrated. Stirring rather than shaking keeps the texture silky.

Discard the ice from the chilled Old Fashioned glass. Place a single large ice cube or sphere into the glass.

Strain the stirred cocktail over the large ice cube into the chilled glass using a julep strainer or Hawthorne strainer.

Express the oils of the orange peel over the drink by holding the peel with the outer rind facing down and giving it a strong pinch to spray oils across the surface. Optionally, rim the glass with the peel and drop it into the drink.

If you have whole allspice, thread or drop one berry onto the peel or place it on the ice for aroma. Serve immediately.