Old Forester Rye Recipe

Chill glass

Place the old-fashioned glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice and set aside while building the cocktail to chill the glass.

Combine ingredients

In the mixing glass, add 2 oz Old Forester Rye, 0.75 oz sweet vermouth, 0.25 oz amaro, 0.25 oz rich simple syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters (if using).

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes. Stir gently and continuously for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full revolutions) until the mixture is well chilled, slightly diluted, and the outside of the mixing glass becomes lightly frosted.

Prepare serving glass

Discard the ice from the chilled old-fashioned glass (if you used ice to chill it). Add one large clear ice cube or a few fresh large ice cubes to the glass.

Strain

Using a Hawthorn or julep strainer, double-strain the cocktail from the mixing glass into the prepared old-fashioned glass over the fresh ice to remove any small ice shards.

Express orange oils

Take the orange peel and hold it over the drink, skin side down. Give it a sharp twist to express the oils over the surface of the cocktail, then rub the rim of the glass with the peel to transfer aroma. Optionally, drop the peel into the drink as garnish.

Serve

Serve immediately. Enjoy the balanced spice and caramel notes of the Old Forester Rye with the herbal sweetness of the vermouth and the bitter-sweet depth from the amaro and bitters.

Rinse and dry the mixing glass, spoon and strainer after use. Wipe down any spills on the bar surface.