Josh here. I know I’m usually not the one to bring you recipes, but I thought it would be fun to write something for the first time in a while. This past Valentine’s Day, we went to a fancy-ish place that happens to have a variety of interesting cocktails, including a few specialty ones for a week or so at a time. They had one that caught my eye, and after trying it, I decided we had to try our best to replicate it at home.
It’s no surprise that something with whiskey (my liquor of choice), cinnamon, and a sweet wine, grabbed my attention. And I’m so glad I took a chance on something a little out of my comfort zone! This is a drink that’s sweet, but not cloyingly so, and while not as strong as some others, it certainly does its job!
If you try this out, and you happen to have some (short) cinnamon sticks around, try stirring with one and leaving it in. The extra, concentrated cinnamon can be a delicious addition, but I wouldn’t recommend the amount of syrup you’d need to achieve the same thing! Well, unless you’re like me and you could probably enjoy eating sugar cubes for a snack, in which case go for it.
2 – 3 tsp Cinnamon Simple Syrup, see note for ingredients and preparation
Prosecco or other sweet bubbly wine
Instructions
Juice one orange into a rocks glass, being careful not to get any seeds or an excess of pulp in the glass (I juiced mine into a mesh sieve sitting on a glass).
Add the whiskey, a couple shakes of bitters (to taste), and the cinnamon simple syrup. Stir and fill the glass the rest of the way with Prosecco.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a twist of orange.
Notes
Cinnamon simple syrup is sold in some specialty party stores, but we made our own as follows: Add 2 c of water and 4 cinnamon sticks to a pot. Bring to boil and boil for 10 minutes. Remove the cinnamon sticks and add 1½ c sugar, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Let cool and strain through a coffee filter, if desired, to remove any pieces of cinnamon that broke off. Store in a glass container in the fridge. Keeps for 1 – 2 months. Makes about 2 c.
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Here’s an example of how Kelly made the orange twists for our drinks in case you don’t happen to have the right kind of peeler for the job!
Well, you’re totally speaking my language here, Josh! I love whiskey… and this combination of flavors sounds AMAZING! (And all the better since I can drink again – huzzah!)
[…] simple syrup (see the notes section in this recipe for a homemade version or use store […]
What a pretty drink! I love all of the flavors going on here — I love my orange!
Well, you’re totally speaking my language here, Josh! I love whiskey… and this combination of flavors sounds AMAZING! (And all the better since I can drink again – huzzah!)
Now that I can’t drink beer, I might have to try to become a whiskey drinker! These sure look pretty 🙂