Mushroom Old Fashioned Recipe

Chill glass

Place an old fashioned glass in the freezer or fill it with ice and water to chill while you build the cocktail.

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass add 2 oz Reifel Rye Whiskey, 0.5 oz mushroom amaro, 0.25 oz cacao liqueur, 0.25 oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Stir with ice

Fill the mixing glass with large ice or regular ice and stir briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full turns) until well-chilled and properly diluted (target ~20–25% dilution from spirit volume).

Prepare serving glass

Dump the ice/water from the chilled old fashioned glass. Place a single large ice cube in the glass.

Strain

Strain the stirred cocktail over the large ice cube in the chilled old fashioned glass using a julep or hawthorne strainer for a clear presentation.

Express orange oil

Take the orange peel held skin side down over the drink and firmly pinch to express oils over the surface of the cocktail. Run the peel around the rim, then drop it into the glass (or rest it on the ice).

Islay mist

Place 0.25 oz Islay whisky in a small perfume-style atomizer or a small jigger. From about 6–8 inches above the glass, spray or mist once or twice over the cocktail to impart a light peaty smokiness. If you don't have an atomizer, pour the Islay into a spoon, hold it above the glass and quickly wave to capture some smoke and aroma toward the drink (or briefly flame the spirit beside the glass and allow vapors to settle) — use cautiously.

Garnish

Optional: rest a dried shiitake or porcini slice on the rim or float it on the ice for visual and aromatic reinforcement of the mushroom character.

Serve

Serve immediately, noting the layered aromatics: citrus oil up front, a gentle peaty mist, cacao and mushroom amaro melding with the rye spice.