Booze With The Furr Recipe

Prepare infusion

Place 750 ml good-quality bourbon in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Add 8 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks (broken in half if too long), 2 star anise, 2 tablespoons dried orange peel, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar to the jar. The brown sugar will round the edges and add a slight caramel note.

Seal the jar, shake gently to dissolve the sugar, and store in a cool, dark place for 48–72 hours. Taste after 48 hours; if you want bolder spice/orange notes, infuse up to 96 hours. Shake once or twice daily to redistribute flavors.

When the infusion reaches desired flavor, strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Discard solids. Label and refrigerate or store at room temperature; use within 6 months.

If you don’t have pre-made simple syrup, make a quick 1:1 simple syrup: combine equal parts granulated sugar and hot water (for example 100 g sugar + 100 ml water), stir until dissolved, cool before using. (The recipe uses 5 ml per drink.)

Build the Old Fashioned

Place one large ice cube or sphere into a chilled old-fashioned glass.

Pour 60 ml of the house spiced bourbon over the ice.

Add 5 ml simple syrup and 2 dashes aromatic bitters. If you prefer a slightly sweeter cocktail, increase simple syrup to 7–8 ml.

Stir gently with a bar spoon for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted (glass should be cold and the ice should show light frost).

Express an orange peel over the glass by holding it skin-side down and giving it a firm twist to release oils, then rub the peel around the glass rim and drop it in as garnish.

Serve immediately.