Recipe
- 1oz Apple brandy (I used French Calvados)
- .5oz Angostura aromatic bitters
- .5oz Orgeat (Small Hand Foods)
- .5oz Fresh lemon juice
- .25oz Cinnamon syrup*
- 3oz hot water
Combine all ingredients in a heat-resistant glass or mug. Stir well to combine, and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a slice of apple. Dropping the apple into the drink will make it an even fresher apple delight.
*To make homemade cinnamon syrup, heat up 2 cinnamon sticks, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 cup of water in a pot until the sugar has just dissolved (it should be translucent). Turn off the heat, and let the mixture infuse overnight, up to 24 hours. Remove the cinnamon stick and store in a clean bottle. Optionally add a teaspoon of vodka to help with preservation; it will keep for months.
About
This is a warm mulled wine cross cider hybrid cocktail that includes neither and will impress even the most adventurous cocktail fanatic. Get ready for this – a jazzed up spice-filled wintry drink with a generous half ounce of Angostura bitters that is perfect to snuggle up to during the holiday season. Plus, unlike mulled wine, you can easily make a single serving of this!
Aromatic cocktail bitters are known as the spices of the cocktail world and usually just a few scant dashes can liven up and transform a plain boring drink into something magical…they tend to be very potent in flavor and heavy on the warm baking spices, so we are raising the intensity here and using a full half ounce of it in this wintry drink. Angostura is also over 40% abv, so we’re also getting a healthy dose of extra booze. It’s warm, inviting, and familiar, yet has an unexpected rich and bold full-bodied pizazz that will have anyone yearning for another glass.