Raise a Glass to These 7 Essential Fall Cocktails

As the weather cools and autumn starts to take hold, there’s nothing like a boozy cocktail to warm the spirits. Here are 7 fall cocktails featuring the season’s finest flavors shared by some of the best bartenders from around the country.

1.) WEEKEND’S PRIZE: Henley – Nashville, TN
This scotch-based cocktail by Henley’s Head Bartender, Jon Howard, is crisp and refreshing… and pretty as a picture.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Monkey Shoulder Scotch
• 1 oz. Fresh Pressed Green Apple Juice
• ½ oz. Don Ciccio & Figli Nocino
• ½ oz. Brown Sugar Syrup (1.5/1)
• ½ oz. Lemon Juice

Directions: Add all ingredients to a shaker over ice. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a dehydrated apple slice and grated cinnamon.

 

2.) KING’S FLIP: Chicago, IL
Sable Kitchen & Bar’s Bartender, Anton Valkov, considers this a “big boy’s” Egg Nog, complete with warming allspice, ruby port and scotch whisky.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz. Great King Street Scotch
• 1 oz. Cockburn’s Ruby Port
• ½ oz. Demerara Syrup
• 1 dash Allspice Bitters
• Whole egg

Directions: Dry shake first, then shake on ice. Strain and serve up in a Georgian glass. No garnish required!

 

3.) GENTLE PUSH: Henley – Nashville, TN
Henley’s Jon Howard is at it again with this pine and fall-spiced cocktail. He says that it’s “perfect for the cooler temperatures ahead.”

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Cocchi Americano
• 1 oz. Carpano Bianco Vermouth
• ½ oz. Luxardo Bitter Bianco
• ½ oz. Dubonnet Blanc

Directions: Add all ingredients to a mixing glass over ice. Stir roughly 30 times. Strain into a footed rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a spruce tip.

 

4.) FUJI-LA: Washington, DC
The popular autumn favorites of apple and pear get an unexpected twist in this creative cocktail by Head Bartender, Sarah Ruiz.

Ingredients:

• ¾ oz. Caramelized Pineapple
• ¾ oz. Lemon Juice
• ¾ oz. Chamomile-Honey Syrup (1 part chamomile tea, 1 part honey)
• 1 oz. Busnel Pays D’Auge: Calvados
• 1 oz. St. George Pear Brandy

Directions: Pour all ingredients into shaker over ice. Add 2 dashes of tiki bitters. Shake cocktail until the shaker is cold. Strain into coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon peel twist.

 

5.) FALL JULEP: Red Owl Tavern – Philadelphia, PA
No need to wait for Derby season for your Mint Julep fix. Red Owl Tavern’s Lead Bartender, Kyle Darrow, concocted this warm version of the classic cocktail to get you through the cold season.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Bourbon
• 2 bar spoons of Sugar
• 5-7 Mint Leaves
• Hot Moroccan Mint Tea

Directions: Muddle bourbon, sugar and mint leaves. Strain through fine mesh into a warm glass mug. Top with hot mint tea and garnish with a sprig of mint.

 

6.) NUTS ON STATE: Chicago, IL
“This is a sour that reflects all the flavors of fall—apple brandy, stone fruit, nuts and warm baking spices.”

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. LeCompte Calvados
• 5 oz. Amaretto
• 75 oz. Orgeat Syrup
• 5 oz. lemon juice
• 1 dash Allspice Bitters

Directions: Shake all ingredients over ice. Strain into a Georgian glass.

 

7.) SHEN NONG’S ELIXIR: Portland, OR
In this cocktail by Brandon Lockman has classic fall flavors enhanced by jasmine tea to delight your palate.

Ingredients:

• 5 oz. Hot Jasmine Tea (such as Rishi jasmine pearl tea)
• 1 oz. Woodford Reserve Bourbon
• 1 oz. Apple Cider
• ½ oz. Agave Syrup

Directions: Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a tall Collins glass. Garnish with an apple wheel.

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