Muy Bueno: Fiestas 
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
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Guess who really enjoys a classic Old Fashioned? Yep! You guessed it. Moi! Lately I have been obsessed with really good Old Fashioned cocktails, especially with smoky notes.
One of my favorite cocktails is called, The Ron Burgundy and was served in a restaurant in Minneapolis.
Normally, I’m not a scotch drinker, but that cocktail is a combination of bourbon and scotch topped with a big puff of cherry tobacco smoke and poured over a magnificent ice cube and served with cherries. It’s smoky yet sweet.
The smell of it took me back to being a little girl and snuggling next to my Nino Gene (my late godfather). He used to smoke a pipe and read the Sunday newspaper and I would sit right next to him on the couch. When he was done reading the comics he’d pass them to me to read. Every time I smell a pipe I am reminded of his calming demeanor and his sweet and smoky scent. That cocktail brought back so many happy feelings and memories.
That cocktail was beyond unforgettable and ever since then I have been trying to recreate the perfect flavors.
This cocktail is spiced up with a combination of bourbon and smoky mezcal and garnished with a charred (and still smoking) cinnamon stick. This boozy, spirit-forward cocktail is the perfect introduction to fall.
It’s a simple cocktail, but it’s one that packs a solid punch. Built similarly to an Old Fashioned, it combines mezcal and bourbon together. The mezcal adds a layer of earthiness and smoke, while bourbon helps smooth things out.
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 ounce mezcal
- 1 1/2 ounce bourbon
- 1 orange twist, 1-inch-wide by 2 inches in length
- 1 cinnamon stick
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Instructions
- Add agave nectar, bitters, and water into a rocks glass, and stir until combined.
- Fill the glass with large ice cubes, add the mezcal and bourbon, and gently stir to combine the flavors.
- Twist orange peel over the cocktail. Rub the peel on the rim of the glass for extra flavor. Then drop the peel into the glass as a garnish.
- Garnish with a charred (and still smoking) cinnamon stick.
Notes
- For a Christmas-y version, tangerine can be used instead of orange.
- The cocktail can be sweetened with orange or tangerine simple syrup instead of agave for a fruitier version.
- If you're not a fan of mezcal, feel free to use tequila instead.
Photography by Jenna Sparks
5 Comments on “Oaxaca Old Fashioned”
Great Cocktail! I’m usually not a bourbon fan but I totally loved this. Use Anejo Tequila. Mezcal was hard to find but when I did, it’s really expensive. Wasn’t quite sure what to do with the smokin’ cinnamon stick but it looks like you put it out in the drink, so that’s what we did. Fun! We enjoyed the drink so much we had a second one . Thanks for a super cocktail!
Yum, anything with scotch, I love.
Thank you. I have the anejo but will look for the mezcal. Will make these on Friday for our weekly cocktail, can’t wait!
Sounds very yummy, what exactly is Mezcal, a form of tequila, I have lot of different kinds, can I sub? And I don’t see any cherries, where do they come in. And how do you express oil from the orange peel. Sorry so many questions.
Tequila is a type of mezcal, much like how scotch and bourbon are types of whiskey. If you want to substitute, I would suggest an añejo tequila. Cherries were in original inspiration cocktail, but if you’d like to add a cherry you won’t regret it! Simply twist an orange peel over the cocktail. Rub the peel on the rim of the glass for extra flavor. Then drop the peel into the glass as a garnish.