James Brooks, Big fan of the show and a local bartender out of NC. I’m coming to you from “The Mark”; a bar located within the “Inn at Elon”, a five-star inn associated with one of the top business schools and one of the most beautiful campuses in North America. I came from more humble roots that don’t necessarily represent the university but I wanted something that took precedence of the area and wanted to represent its local flavor. The locally sourced apple brandy meshes perfectly with this bourbon smash and aids in its sweetness and smokiness. The cocktail presents itself as too much at first; both very tart and very sweet thus concealing its true abv content, this is less a bug and more a feature as it is served over ice in a pre-chilled rocks glass. As it leads you to go back for a “second bite” it dilutes itself becoming an unflowered delight in its true form; as well as a potent and dangerous abv mix! I must insist on demerara gum syrup and quality aged apple brandy for this, anything else will leave you with the unmistakable taste of a grape jolly rancher … an abomination I haven’t a name for yet. The acacia serves as the vector for both a mouthfeel that yields to its deception and helps in lengthening and delaying the apple crisp ending to this cocktail and the smokiness of the brandy pairs with the sweeter milder bourbon in painting a high-strung rip of acidity and flavor throughout the palate that is both delicate and very much hard-hitting. This is a cocktail that I have Halloween in particular in mind for and will be pushing for the bar to introduce in association with. A feature would sure help! I will happily send you a bottle of the suggested NC Apple Brandy! It’s a lovely product that fills a niece that I never knew I had in cocktail making. It shines in a select few. I hope this cocktail makes rounds this October! It has all the makings of the festive and iconic staple that I wish to establish here; with locally sourced ingredients that just fit in perfectly with the specs.
The Poison Apple
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon Elijah Craig Small Batch
- 1/2 oz Brandy Fair Game Apple
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
- 3/4 oz Gum Syrup Basil Demerara
- 3 Blackberries
Garnish
Instructions
- Muddle 3 Blackberries in the Demerara Gum Syrup in a cocktail tin.
- Mix all ingredients in a cocktail tin
- Hard shake
- Double strain over fresh ice in chilled Rocks Glass.
- Garnish with a green apple bouquet and a single blackberry spear.
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