I’m gonna start with a caveat: I don’t drink alot of cocktails based on “brown” liquors. You know, the whiskey family: bourbon, scotch, rye. I never developed a taste for them straight-up or on-the-rocks, so I don’t reach for them when I’m developing a new cocktail. But I love a splash of bourbon in my pecan pie, so I usually have some Jack Daniels around for that. Why JD? It’s what my dad drank.

With our first burst of cool weather, I started thinking about cool weather cocktails. Fresh-pressed apple cider is one of those fall treats with a limited availability, so I wanted to try something to highlight it. Vodka wasn’t the right liquor – although neutral in flavor, too much “burn”. The botanical notes in gin were going to overpower the apple. I was out of black rum. But my little flask of Jack Daniels was there — and whiskey can have warm, caramel notes from the charred oak aging, which would pair beautifully with apple.

You’ll note I gave ranges for the whiskey and apple cider. I preferred the “lighter” version — less whiskey less cider and more ginger ale. The CGP preferred the “stronger” version — more whiskey more cider and a hit of lime at the end.

Apple Cider Fizz
Serves 1

2 – 3 tablespoons Tennessee Whiskey or good bourbon
1 tablespoon Pama liqueur
1/3 to 1/2 cup fresh-pressed apple cider (farm-stand or refrigerator section)
ginger ale
lime (optional)

Fill a tall pub glass with ice. Add the whiskey, Pama, and apple cider. Stir well. Top off glass with ginger ale and stir gently to combine. Add a touch of lime juice if desired.

We drank ours with homemade hand-pies filled with beer-braised chuck roast, onions, mushrooms, and a bit of Cheddar:

Party Notes: If I were serving this at a party — I’d make it by the pitcher, use smaller glasses, and garnish the edge of each glass with a little apple wedge.