The liquid ingredients in Apte-Elford’s Old-Fashioned are fairly standard—she feels the classic specs of cane sugar simply syrup and Angostura bitters already gives Elijah Craig a perfect cocktail platform. It’s the over-the-top details that turn Roy’s drink into a baroque masterpiece. That includes bespoke, hand-carved ice cubes—though regular large ice cubes will also do just fine—and an extravagantly boozy cherry garnish that includes another Old-Fashioned, in miniature.
Baroque Old-Fashioned
Anu Apte-Elford, Rob Roy | Seattle
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Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 ounces Elijah Craig Small Batch
- ¼ to ½ ounce simple syrup (2:1 ratio)
- 4 dashes Angostura bitters
Garnish: OF-Filled Cherry (see Editor’s Note) held in an orange peel “basket” (see Editor’s Note)
Directions
- Place OF Ice Cube (see Editor’s Note) into a double Old-Fashioned glass to let the ice temper.
- Add bourbon, simple syrup and bitters to a mixing glass and fill three-quarters with ice. Stir swiftly.
- Strain into the double Old-Fashioned glass.
- Express orange peel over the cocktail and rim the top of the glass with the side of the peel.
- Garnish with the OF-Filled Cherry set inside the Orange Peel Basket, placing it just between the ice cube and the rim of the glass to stabilize.
Editor's Note
OF-Filled Cherry
8 ounces Elijah Craig Small Batch
1 teaspoon agar agar
2 ounces hot water
Jar Filthy Black Cherry (or any sturdy, pitted cherry)
Place agar agar in a mug, and then add hot water (210 degrees Fahrenheit, just boiling). Mix until dissolved, and add bourbon. Mix again until dissolved, and let cool for 20 minutes. Place pitted cherries on a plate with the score marks down. Put agar agar mixture into a flavor injector, and fill the cherries through their punch holes. Chill for a few hours to solidify.
Orange Peel Basket
Use a large Y-peeler to get a wide orange peel. Groom three edges so they are straight and clean. Cut the end of one length into a point. At the length with the straight edge, cut a slit large enough to poke the pointed end through. After expressing the oils over the drink, thread the pointed end of the peel through the slit to create a “basket” for the OF-Filled Cherry. (This also negates the need for a one-time-use pick.)
OF Ice Cube
If you live in Seattle, you can special-order Creative Ice’s “Rob Roy stick,” the 10-by-3-by-3-inch brick of Clinebell ice that Apte-Elford uses for her drinks. Cut that down into four equal pieces. Lay one of those cubes flat on its side to create the base of your OF Ice Cube. Carve or chisel the top edges to round it out.