The fall season is upon us, and that usually means that some of our favorite beverages we reached for over the summer are going back on the shelf until next year. For this year, we’ve got a collection of seasonal sips to help usher in the fall season.
Autumn is my absolute favorite time of the year, followed very closely by winter, and I’m willing to admit that I probably like all things pumpkin spice a little too much. I did enjoy sipping on citrusy drinks over ice this summer, and I do love the crispness of beers geared towards the warmer temps.
That said, I find myself drawn to cocktails that feature warming spices, as well as darker notes, which also applies to my beer preferences. Fall always feels like the time we’re supposed to take our time with our sips of choice, instead of quaffing them down rapidly. It’s also a time for rich, spirit-forward drinks that call for a big rock or to be served up in a chilled glass by the fire.
In this roundup, you’ll find brands familiar to the Spirit.Ed audience, along with some new entrants. As always. I appreciate our agency partners who have brought many of these brands to our attention. If we missed any of your brands, please reach out to D.L. Chandler at dchandler@bhmdigital.com for consideration. If it fits the theme and, with respect to my time, I’ll be sure to add the cocktail, beer, wine, or RTD.
For now, enjoy this year’s fall roundup of seasonal sips..
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Photo: Getty
1. Apple Manarita
Source:Teremana
2 oz Teremana Reposado
0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz Fresh Apple Juice
0.5 oz Agave Nectar
Glassware: Rocks
Garnish: Cinnamon sticks
Method: Shake all ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker.Â
2. Autumn Whiskey Sour
Source:Basil Hayden
2 parts Basil Hayden Bourbon
1 part Fresh Lemon
3/Â 4part Honey
2 dashes Apple Cider Vinegar
1 dash Angostura Bitters
1 spring of Charred Rosemary (for garnish)
Method:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass.Serve neat or on the rocks Garnish with a spring of Charred Rosemary*.
*To char the rosemary spring, place it over an open flame (either on a grill or stovetop) and rotate 5-10 seconds until the herb begins to smoke and brown slightly.
3. Bourbon Bacon Barrel
Source:Waldorf Astoria Washington, D.C.
Wyoming Whiskey Double Cask Bourbon 2oz
Pedro Ximenez Sherry .5oz
Ancho Reyes Original Chile Liqueur .5oz
Angostura Bitters 2 dashes
Directions:
Combine all spirits and ingredients in a glass mixture. Add ice and stir to chill and mix thoroughly. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass and top with ice. Garnish with maple glazed bacon strip.
4. Brandy Boulevardier
Source:Argonaut
INGREDIENTS
1 oz. Argonaut Speculator Brandy
1 oz. Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro
1 oz. Lo-Fi Sweet Vermouth
Argonaut Brandied CherryÂ
Garnish: Orange Twist
Glass: Rock Glass
​Stir all ingredients over ice in a mixing vessel until chilled and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
DIRECTIONS
​Stir all ingredients over ice in a mixing vessel until chilled and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
5. Carpano Spritz
Source:Carpano
2 oz Carpano Botanic Bitter
3 oz Prosecco, chilled
1 oz Soda water
Garnish: orange wedge
Fill a stemmed wine glass with ice. Pour in Carpano Botanic Bitter, prosecco, and soda water. Stir gently and garnish with an orange wedge.
6. Casa Apple Crisp Punch Bowl (Large Format)
Source:Casamigos
25.4 oz (1 Full 750ml Bottle) Casamigos Reposado or Casamigos Blanco Tequila
17 oz. Apple Cider
8.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
8.5 oz. Ginger Syrup (Suggest Liquid Alchemist)
1 oz. Aromatic Bitters
Optional: 17 Pinches Nutmeg
Garnish 12 Red Apple Wheels, 17 Star Anise, 17 Thyme Sprigs and Cinnamon Dusting
Instructions
Combine all ingredients directly into a large punch bowl. Top off with ice, stir well for 8-10 seconds, then garnish.Â
7. Castello Monaci Primitivo Salento IGT PilĂąna
Source:Castello Monaci
8. Cat’s Meow
Source:Remus
1.5 oz. Remus Highest Rye Bourbon
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Orange peel for garnish
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir over ice. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with an expressed orange peel.
9. Chocolate Pumpkin
Source:Bols
Ingredients:
25 ml Bols Pumpkin Spice
25 ml Bols Cacao White
30 ml Cream
Directions: Add ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and strain into martini glass.Â
10. Crème Brûlée Iced Latte
Source:Baileys
1/2 oz Baileys Original Irish Cream
1 oz espresso
1/2 oz Ketel One Vodka
1 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 oz heavy cream
1 tbsp caramel sauce
Mix milk, Baileys, vodka, and vanilla extract. Pour into glass with ice. Mix brown sugar and espresso, then pour into the glass. Mix caramel sauce and heavy cream, and whip into cold foam. Sprinkle sugar on top and torch.
11. Dark Rum Horchata
Source:Dos Maderas
Ingredients:
2 oz Dos Maderas 5+3 Rum
4 oz Chilled Horchata (homemade or high-quality bottled)
0.25 oz Cinnamon Syrup (optional, for extra spice and richness)
Garnish: Cinnamon stick or a dusting of ground cinnamon
Directions: Fill a rocks glass or tumbler with ice. Pour in the chilled horchata and Dos Maderas 5+3 rum. Add cinnamon syrup if you like it spiced up. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon.
12. Falling Leaves
Source:Waldorf Astoria D.C.
Domaine de Canton .25oz
Lemon Juice .75oz
Mint Syrup 1.25oz
Pomegranate Juice 1.25oz
Tequila Reposado 1.5oz
Dashes of Fee Foam
Directions:
Combine all spirits and ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds. Strain the mixture into a martini coupe. Garnish with mix of mini edible Autumn Leaves and Marigold flowers.
13. Fall Spice Negroni
Source:Drumshanbo
Ingredients:
1 oz Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin
1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth (spiced if possible – e.g. infused with clove & orange peel)
Dash of chocolate bitters
Garnish: Flamed orange zest + star anise
Method: Stir over ice and strain into a rocks glass over a big cube. Garnish with a flamed orange zest and star anise.Â
14. Fluère Dubai Coffee
Source:Fluère
Ingredients:
1.75 oz Fluère Spiced Cane
Double Espresso
1.75 oz Sweetened Whipped Cream
Garnish: Cacao Powder and Cinnamon Stick
Directions: Add Fluere spiced cane and double espresso to a milk can. Warm up, don’t let it boil. Pour into glass and pour whipped cream on top. Garnish with cacao powder and cinnamon stick.
15. Krakaccino
Source:Kraken Rum
Ingredients:
2 oz Kraken® Gold Spiced Rum
.5 oz Irish Cream
1 oz Espresso
Whipped Cream
Garnish: Cinnamon Stencil of The Beast
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a glass rimmed with chocolate sauce. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a cinnamon stencil of The Beast.
16. METAXA Apple Toddy
Source:METAXA
1.4 oz METAXA 5 Stars (per 1 serving)
33.8 oz red apple juice
1 orange (cut in slices)
2 cinnamon sticks
1 nutmeg (whole seed)
2 cloves
Directions:
Add red apple juice, orange slices, and spices to a pot Warm slowly and allow to simmer for 10 minutes Serve in a mug approximately 2/3 of mulled apple juice and 1/3 (1.4 oz) METAXA 5 Stars.
17. Middle West Manhattan
Source:Middle West
Ingredients:
2 oz Middle West Spirits Straight Rye Whiskey
.5 oz OYO Stone Fruit Vodka
.5 oz Sweet Vermouth
5 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: 1 Luxardo Maraschino Cherry
Directions: Add ingredients into a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
18. Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini
Source:Ketel One
Recipe courtesy of Pamela Wiznitzer
Ingredients:
1.5 Ketel One Vodka
.5 Coffee Liqueur
.75 Pumpkin Allspice Syrup*
 1 oz Coffee Concentrate**
Garnish: Pumpkin Spice and Espresso Powder
Method:
Combine ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 7 -1 0 seconds.
Strain up into a chilled martini glass and garnish half of the cocktail with pumpkin spice and espresso powder.
Â
Sub-Recipes:
*Pumpkin Allspice Syrup:
Boil 2 cups of water with 1 tbsp pumpkin spice on high for 5 – 7 minutes. Watch for any boil-up or overflow and stir while boiling. Reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes and remove from the stovetop.
In a jar or bowl, measure out the reduced liquid, it will be less than 2 cups because of evaporation during the boiling process, then measure out the same quantity in sugar for a 1:1 ratio and add the sugar to the pumpkin spice liquid. Mix until dissolved and keep in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
**Coffee concentrate:
For best “at-home” version: Mix 1 cup of cold brew or store purchased iced coffee and mix with 1 tbsp instant espresso powder.
19. Riunite Negroni
Source:Riunite
Ingredients:
2 oz of Riunite Lambrusco
1 oz Campari
1 oz of Sweet Vermouth
Garnish: Orange Slice
Directions: Add all ingredients into mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a rocks glass with ice. Garnish with an orange slice.
20. Sagamore Cider
Source:Sagamore Spirit
2 oz Sagamore Spirit Small Batch Rye Whiskey
4 oz Apple Cider
0.5 oz Lime Juice
Simple Syrup to taste
Garnish: Cinnamon Sticks & Apple Slice
Directions:Â
21. Salted Caramel Sour
Source:Four Roses
INGREDIENTS
2 oz. Four Roses Small Batch
Âľ oz. Salted caramel syrup*
Âľ oz. Fresh lemon juice
Garnish Cinnamon sugar, lemon twist or wheel
Optional garnish Caramel dipped apple slice
DIRECTIONS
Rim glassware with cinnamon sugar mixture. Combine all ingredients into a mixing tin. Add ice. Shake for fifteen seconds or until the cocktail is well chilled and properly diluted. Strain over ice into rimmed glasses. Garnish.
*Salted Caramel Syrup
Directions
Combine two-parts light brown sugar to one-part hot water. Stir until sugar is diluted. Add a pinch of salt.
22. St-RĂ©my French Alexander
Source:St-RĂ©my
1.5 oz St-RĂ©my Signature
0.7 oz Thick Cream
0.5 oz Cacao Cream
0.25 oz Simple Syrup or 1 tsp Fine Sugar
Directions:
Shake hard with ice, and fine strain into a coupe glass or glass coffee mug
Garnish with nutmeg all over the top.
23. The Cocktail Collection
Source:The Cocktail Collection
The Cocktail Collection is one of the best RTD (ready-to-drink) options available, featuring some notable brands in the whiskey, vodka, and gin world.Â
Learn more here.
24. Tenuta RapitalĂ Syrah Sicilia DOC Nadir
Source:Tenuta RapitalĂ
Description from the brand:
 With its intense ruby-red hue and damask-violet tints, Nadir offers a generous bouquet of ripe fruit and signature Syrah spices, lifted by hints of vanilla. On the palate, it’s full yet delicate, with soft and elegant tannins. This versatile red pairs beautifully with meats, game, roasts, aged cheeses, and traditional Sicilian fare.
25. The French Mule
Source:Remy Martin
Ingredients:
2 oz RĂ©my Martin VSOP
0.50 oz lime juice
4 oz ginger beer
Lime wheel
How-To:
Pour 2 oz of RĂ©my Martin VSOP and 1/2 oz of lime juice into a copper mug. Add ice cubes and 4 oz of ginger beer. Stir to combine. To garnish, drop a lime wedge into the mug.
26. The Tennessee Stroll
Source:Bib & Tucker
2oz Bib & Tucker Gold Roast Bourbon
0.5oz lemon juice
1 rounded teaspoon orange marmalade
Soda water to top
Garnish: Orange wheel
Add all ingredients, except the soda water, to a shaker tin half full of ice. Shake well to blend marmalade. Double strain into a goblet glass filled with fresh ice.
27. The Pear-Fect Spritz
Source:Belle de Brillet
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Belle de Brillet
2 oz Soda Water
3 oz Dry Prosecco
1 Squeeze of a Lemon Wedge
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a glass full of ice and stir gentlyÂ
28. The Vintage Car
Source:Jeptha Creed
Ingredients:
2 oz Jeptha Creed Four Grain Bourbon
2 dashes Ne Oublie Black Walnut Bitters
0.75 oz Dry Orange Liqueur
0.5 oz Spiced Simple Syrup
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
Cinnamon Sugar (for rimming)
Directions: Half-rim a coupe glass with cinnamon sugar. Add all liquid ingredients to a shaker tin. Add ice and shake well. Double strain into the prepared coupe glass.
