Classic whiskey cocktails tend to lean to the side of being spirituous and robust, like the iconic Old Fashioned or the ever popular Manhattan. However, you can also have some sweeter fun with whiskey, as these Halloween recipes from Chicken Cock Whiskey show. They bring together flavors like orange and caramel, or toasted marshmallow and chocolate, to add some sweetness to your late fall drinking.
Both of these recipes also include custom syrup additions, which is a great way to add complex flavors into a cocktail without having to throw hundreds of ingredients into a shaker. You can also prepare the syrups ahead of time, so they’re ready for making a round of drinks at a party.
The art of creating a good syrup is to heat the ingredients slowly, so that you don’t burn anything. That’s especially important when working with sugar as it can turn quickly, and the taste of burned sugar is unmistakable and not pleasant. If you do find your syrups smelling a bit burned, it’s best to throw them out and start again. But if you get it right, a good syrup can add a ton of delicious flavor and also keep in the fridge for several weeks, allowing you to make your desired drinks at the drop of a hat.
Crow or Treat
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Chicken Cock Straight Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz. Curacao
- 0.5 oz. Bittersweet Orange Aperitif
- 0.25 oz. Dark Caramel Syrup *instructions for homemade option below*
- Black Walnut Bitters
Dark Caramel Syrup Instructions:
Coat the bottom of a pan with about an inch of granulated sugar. Get the sugar just wet enough to distribute heat evenly. Turn heat to medium and wait for sugar to simmer, then swirl to redistribute heat until an even simmer is reached. Wait until simmering sugar is clear and amber in color. Pour onto parchment paper to cool. Weigh the hardened caramel and make a 1:1 simple syrup with the caramelized sugar as your base.
Method:
1) Stir the first 4 ingredients into a mixing glass with ice
2) Pour into a rocks glass with one large ice cube
3) Add a float of 4-5 dashes of Black Walnut Bitters on top
The Roasted Rooster
Ingredients:
- 2 oz. Chicken Cock Bourbon
- 0.5 oz. Toasted Marshmallow Syrup *instructions for homemade option below*
- 2 Dashes Chocolate Bitters
- Toasted Mini Marshmallows for Garnish
Marshmallow Syrup Recipe:
- 1.5 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mini marshmallows
Marshmallow Syrup Instructions:
On a low simmer, add both water and sugar to a pan. Place marshmallows onto broiler for 2 minutes and flip. Once marshmallows have broken down after 2 minutes, add to pan with sugar and water. Stir to dissolve. Once blended, let it cool down, then pour into a squeeze bottle and place in fridge to thicken.
Method:
Pour all ingredients into a mixing glass over ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with one large cube. Put 3-4 mini marshmallows onto a toothpick, and lightly toast with butane lighter for garnish. For some extra flair, add a crushed cinnamon graham cracker rim.
