The cocktail program at El Che in Chicago honors the restaurant’s South American heritage, including this adaptation of the Buenos Aires-style Old-Fashioned in which the inside of the glass is coated with a paste of Demerara sugar and Angostura bitters set on fire.
Caramelized Rum Old-Fashioned
Alex Cuper | Chicago
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 2 1/2 ounces overproof rum, preferably Plantation O.F.T.D.
- 1/2 ounce Curaçao, preferably Pierre Ferrand
- 1/4 ounce caramelized bitter syrup (see Editor's Note)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Garnish: flamed orange twist
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in an Old-Fashioned glass.
- Add ice and stir until chilled and slightly diluted.
- Garnish with a flamed orange twist.
Editor's Note
Caramelized Bitter Syrup
2 cups Demerara sugar
1 cup water
1 to 2 tablespoons Angostura bitters
1 tablespoon orange bitters
3 whole cloves
2 to 4 orange swaths
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently for 4 to 5 minutes, enough to let the water reduce slightly. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.