For a chocolate twist on the old-fashioned, try this chocolate-infused rye whiskey. It's not nearly as sweet as other chocolate drinks, but it's still well-balanced and may change your mind about what chocolate can do in cocktails.
Infuse Time: 36 hrs
Ingredients
For the Chocolate-Infused Whiskey:
1 (750-ml) bottle of Rye whiskey
ÂĽ cup Cacao nibs
For the Cocoa Old-Fashioned Cocktail:
2 brandied Cherries divided
1 Orange slice, cut in half
½ oz. Demerara syrup
3 dashes of Mole bitters
2 ½ oz. Chocolate-infused rye whiskey
Directions
To make the Chocolate-Infused Whiskey:
Fill an infusion jar halfway with rye whiskey and cacao nibs.
Shake well and set aside for 3 days or until you have a nice and balanced flavor.
When the flavor intensity is to your liking, strain out the nibs and rebottle the whiskey. It can be stored in the same manner as any other whiskey.
To make the Cocoa Old-Fashioned Cocktail:
Add one brandied cherry and half an orange slice to an old-fashioned glass, along with the demerara syrup and mole bitters. Muddle thoroughly.
Fill the glass halfway with ice and top it with the cocoa-infused whiskey
Stir gently.
Garnish with the remaining cherry and orange slice, as well as orange zest, if desired.