Name: Wood Taverns The Woody Recipe
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 servings
Ingredients: 2 oz rye whiskey; 0.5 oz mezcal; 0.5 tbs cedar-smoked maple syrup (or regular maple syrup, smoked if available); 0.5 oz sweet vermouth; 2 dashes Angostura bitters; 1 dash orange bitters; 1 strip orange peel (for express oil and garnish); 1 each sprig of rosemary or small cedar twig (optional, for garnish and aroma); 2 each large ice cubes; 0.5 cup small ice cubes or crushed ice (for chilling glass if desired)

Method

Preparation

Chill glass

Place a lowball/old fashioned glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with small ice cubes while you build the drink to chill the glass.

Smoke / infuse (optional)

If you have a smoking gun or cedar plank, briefly smoke the maple syrup jar or the empty glass to impart a woody aroma. Alternatively, use commercially cedar-smoked maple syrup. If you smoked the glass, cover it briefly to trap smoke while you prepare the cocktail.

Build & Stir

In a mixing glass add the rye whiskey (2 oz), mezcal (1/2 oz), sweet vermouth (1/2 oz), cedar-smoked maple syrup (1/2 tbs) and bitters (2 dashes Angostura, 1 dash orange bitters).

Add ice and stir

Add large ice or several medium cubes to the mixing glass and stir gently for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted (aim for roughly 25–30% dilution). Stir with a smooth back-and-forth motion.

Prepare glass and garnish

Discard the chilling ice from your lowball glass if used. If you smoked the glass earlier, uncover it now. Place 1–2 large ice cubes into the glass.

Strain

Using a julep or Hawthorne strainer (or fine mesh if available), strain the stirred cocktail into the prepared lowball glass over the large ice cube(s).

Finish & Serve

Express orange oil

Hold the strip of orange peel over the drink, skin side down, and give it a sharp twist to express the oils across the surface. Run the peel around the rim, then drop it in or discard per preference.

Add aromatic garnish

If using rosemary or a small cedar twig, gently clap it between your hands (or briefly pass it through a flame to release oils) and place it atop the drink for an herbal, woody aroma. If you smoked the glass or syrup, the cocktail will carry additional wood smoke notes.

Serve

Serve immediately, advising sippers to inhale the garnish aroma before sipping. The Woody is best enjoyed slowly to appreciate the balance of spice from the rye, smoke from the mezcal and cedar notes from the syrup.