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Walnut Old Fashioned

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It’s five o’clock somewhere.

It’s Friday.

And sometimes, at the end of a long cold week, you just want a drink. For me, nothing hits the spot quite like a well balanced cocktail.

Walnut Old Fashioned

Dan and I are big fans of the craft cocktail movement that’s taken hold in Chicago. Our liquor cabinet is actually two cabinets because the first one ran out of room.

We love discovering new ways to make use of the interesting assortment of spirits, liqueurs, amari, and bitters that seem to multiply in two’s and three’s every time we  step out to shop for one new cocktail ingredient.

Walnut Old Fashioned

This take on the classic old-man drink, the old fashioned, hits all the right buttons.

It’s a spirit forward cocktail (read: boozy) with apple-y notes from the calvados, walnuttiness from the nocino, rounded sweetness from the maple syrup, warm baking spice notes from the angostura, and a hint of brightness from the lemon peel.

It’s comforting and boozy enough that you’ll want to drink it slowly. (And it’s also a great use of the bottle of nocino that’s been kicking around on our shelf for months.)

Walnut Old Fashioned

If you like the darker liquors (whiskey, brandy, rum) you’d probably also be a fan of calvados, also known as apple brandy, and nocino (prononced no-chee-no), a traditional Italian walnut liqueur.

We made this for a friend’s birthday dinner in December, and it was a hit with everyone who had one. It’s become a regular in our cocktail rotation this winter.

I limit my alcohol intake for health reasons, which raises the bar for what I consider “worth it”. This one easily clears that bar. If you are looking for a new winter cocktail, give this one a shot.

Walnut Old Fashioned

Looking for other cocktails? Try the Sazerac, the Martinez, the Toronto, the Revolver, the classic Old Fashioned. (Or just make some brandied cherries.)

Yield: 1 drink

Walnut Old Fashioned

Walnut Old Fashioned

This is a great spirit forward winter cocktail. Calvados is also known as apple brandy, and nocino is a walnut liqueur.

Prep Time 1 minute
Total Time 1 minute

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces calvados
  • 1/4 ounce nocino
  • 1/4 ounce maple syrup
  • 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Instructions

  1. Chill an old fashioned glass.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients except the lemon peel in a mixing tin and stir with ice until cold. Strain into the glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with lemon peel.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 203Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g

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Beth

Friday 14th of December 2018

I wondered how you got the walnut in there! I forgot about nocino! I have a friend who makes it and it is just ready around the holidays! I have to try this! Thanks!

Jennifer

Friday 14th of December 2018

I just recently tried my very first Old Fashioned and I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the flavors were. This sounds like the perfect drink to me.

Kelly Anthony

Friday 14th of December 2018

Simply beautiful! I'm going to make this for one of my best friends. She is an old fashioned lover and she is going enjoy this simple twist on this classic drink.

Lisa | Garlic & Zest

Friday 14th of December 2018

I actually have a bottle of calvados in my liquor cabinet -- but I need to pick up nocino (which sounds amazing). Wondering if you could make a pitcher of these old fashioneds to serve at a holiday party... They sound ON POINT.

Catherine Brown

Friday 14th of December 2018

Oh, wow! I've never tried nocino, this sounds intriguing.

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