1.5 oz bourbon
0.5 tsp dark falernum
0.5 tsp palm sugar syrup
1 tsp B.G. Reynold's passionfruit syrup
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Combine all ingredients, stir with ice for 15 seconds, and strain into an old fashioned glass.
The nose is relatively sweet, with the bourbon's caramel notes accented by the palm sugar and passionfruit syrups. Some spice notes (cinnamon especially) from the bourbon mingle with the falernum and bitters. The sip is initially sweet, but restrained. A hint of tropical fruit and sourness comes in just behind, which segues into spice and wood notes from the bourbon, falernum and bitters, which carry through to the finish with lingering fruit.
While this is something of a complicated beast for nominally being an Old Fashioned, I think there's a lot that can be done by taking that basic form and accenting it with the tools of tiki drinks. High rye bourbons like Bulleit have a lot of spice that play well with ingredients like cinnamon, falernum, and ginger syrups. So you can get some nice tropical flavors while still producing a strong, punchy drink.
Is this an original of yours?
ReplyDeleteYou are after my own heart. I love using bourbon in tiki style drinks, and I love using passionfruit syrup in sneaky ways. Also, I think it's badass when there's no garnish... it's like a big "fuck you!"
I whipped this thing up. I used simple syrup instead of palm sugar, and I used rum-free falernum(http://www.kaiserpenguin.com/remixed-astro-aku-aku/) and my own passionfruit syrup, detailed here: http://spiritedremix.blogspot.com/2011/02/reverb-crash-and-tiki.html
Honestly, you described this drink just about perfectly. My only regret is using a light bourbon, since it's the only thing I had on hand. A rye-heavy bourbon or a rich sweet one would have been a better choice.
I'm hard-pressed to call this an Old Fashioned, but damn if it isn't good, and I'd pay for it in a bar.
I don't mean to toot my own horn, but if you like this, then you should try my Brass Artillery... it's literally one of the best drinks I've ever made: http://spiritedremix.blogspot.com/2009/10/brass-artillery-and-boozy-gift-ideas.html