Bourbon Apple Brandy Cocktail

Beverage

Serves 1

Recipe courtesy of Union Square Cafe, New York City

Ingredients:

For the Cardamom-Infused Bourbon

1/4 cup green cardamom pods
1 cup bourbon, such as Buffalo Trace

For the Cocktail

1 ounce Laird's 100 proof apple brandy (not Applejack)
1/2 ounce Cardamom-Infused bourbon
3/4 ounce fresh juice from 1 lemon
3/4 ounce honey syrup
club soda
lemon twist, garnish

Note: Any bourbon will work, we like Buffalo Trace since it is owned by a New Orleans native and it is priced right.

Bourbon Apple Brandy Cocktail

Click image to enlarge

Method:

To make honey syrup
Stir together 1 ounce boiling water with 1 ounce honey until dissolved. Let cool before using.

To make the Cardamom-Infused Bourbon
Place 1/4 cup cardamom pods in a resealable jar. Crush with a wooden spoon to crack about half the pods (this can also be done in a mortar and pestle.) Top with 1 cup bourbon, shake, infuse for 1½ hours at room temperature. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, discard solids, and re-bottle bourbon. Don't infuse the bourbon for longer than directed, or the flavor will be too strong.

To make the cocktail
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add apple brandy, cardamom-infused bourbon, lemon juice, and honey syrup. Shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds.

Strain into an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda and garnish with lemon twist.