Ingredients
- 3 dashesFee Brothers Black Walnut BittersNutty vanilla notesSubstitute: Black walnut bitters
- 2 ozBourbon WhiskeyQuality bourbon whiskeySubstitute: Rye whiskey
- 1/4 ozSimple SyrupRich simple syrupSubstitute: Maple syrup
Instructions
- Add 2 oz bourbon, 1/4 oz simple syrup, and 3 dashes Fee Brothers Walnut Bitters to mixing glass
- Fill with ice and stir until well chilled
Stir until glass feels cold
- Strain over large ice cube in old fashioned glass
- Express orange peel oils over drink and garnish with walnut
Technique Notes
Go lighter on the syrup than usual. Walnut bitters carry their own oily richness, so the sugar has less work to do here than in a standard build.
Why the Walnut Old Fashioned Works
Walnut bitters echo bourbon's barrel tannins and oak more directly than Angostura does, which is why the simple syrup carries less work here — the bitters are doing the rounding themselves. The result is an Old Fashioned that reads autumnal and a touch drier, with the nuttiness lingering on the finish.