Cocktail Atlas

Eclipse Old Fashioned

Autumnal take on the Old Fashioned with maple and walnut.

Cocktail Atlas · Updated

Spirit
Bourbon
Glass
Rocks glass
Method
Stirred
Difficulty
Intermediate

Riff on: Old Fashioned

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An amber drink with a dried citrus wheel and rosemary in a rocks glass on a wooden board, against a dark background

Eclipse Old Fashioned

Ingredients

Ingredients for Eclipse Old Fashioned. Tick each one as you add it.
AddedMeasureIngredient
2 oz
½ oz
2 dashes

Steps

  1. Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass.
  2. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
  3. Garnish with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry.

Garnish Orange twist and a maraschino cherry

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Batch it For a party of 4–20

Makes 8 drinks, about 24 oz · 720 ml before ice.

Eclipse Old Fashioned batch
AmountIngredient
16 oz · 480 mlBourbon
4 oz · 120 mlMaple Syrup
16 dashesBlack Walnut Bitters
4 oz · 120 mlCold water, for dilution (approx.)

The water stands in for the melt from stirring: about 20% for a stirred drink. It is an approximation, so taste and adjust. Chill the batch at least 2 hours and pour over fresh ice.

Fits one 750 ml bottle; a funnel helps.

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Why it works

Black walnut bitters bring a nutty, slightly tannic edge, and maple adds a woody sweetness, so the drink tastes like fall without any fruit. Bourbon supplies the vanilla and caramel base. Stirring with ice softens the alcohol and keeps the texture silky, and the orange twist adds brightness to an otherwise dark, rich drink.

Substitutions

  • Angostura works in place of black walnut bitters; the nutty note will be lighter.
  • Use pure maple syrup.
  • Rye makes it spicier.

Variations

Questions

What do black walnut bitters taste like?
Nutty, earthy and a little bitter, like toasted walnuts.
Is this sweeter than a classic Old Fashioned?
Slightly. ½ oz of maple syrup is more sweetener than a sugar cube; reduce it if you prefer a drier drink.

Making it: Eclipse Old Fashioned

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