Smoked maple bacon might sound like breakfast and indeed it might be – for certain folk. But for our purposes it’s a new riff on the old fashioned using bacon fat washed bourbon.
Fat-washing is a specialized form of infusion that creates a smoother, softer whiskey profile. The bacon fat provides subtle flavor and aroma. That’s why we use 100 proof rye bourbon, because it can stand up to and build upon all that bacon goodness.
The Smoked Maple Bacon Old Fashioned
Every hearty breakfast needs something to go along with the bacon and for me that means maple syrup on pancakes. I can’t actually stick a pancake in this, but we can sweeten our drink with the syrup instead of the traditional granulated sugar.
We finish it with a dash of orange bitters and orange peel, then smoke it with cherry wood. If you’re keeping score that’s rye bourbon with a hint of bacon, maple syrup, orange and a cherry campfire.
This is a perfect, slow-sipper for people serious about and willing to be adventurous with their old fashioned recipe.
Smoked Maple Bacon
Bacon fat washed rye bourbon with maple, orange and cherry smoke
Ingredients
- 2–1/2 oz bacon fat-washed 100 proof Old Fitzgerald rye bourbon whiskey: read how to make it HERE
- 1/4 oz real grade A maple syrup
- 1 dash orange bitters
- Orange peel – garnish
- Cherry wood smoke – garnish
Instructions
- Add the maple syrup, bitters and bourbon to a double rocks glass and briefly stir
- Add a giant 2×2 solid ice cube
- Twist the orange to express the oil over it and drop into the glass
- Smoke the cocktail with cherry wood and slide off the top at the table when serving