Cocktail of the week: Lilienblum’s calvados old fashioned

Bitters and honey syrup muddled with apple brandy instead of whisky to provide a welcome wintry kick

A kind of old-fashioned with a wintry, appley twist.

Calvados old fashioned

Serves 1

For the honey syrup (makes about 10 serves)
30ml honey

For the drink
5ml (ie, 1 bar spoon) honey syrup (see above and method)
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
60ml calvados – we use Sassy, but any pear- or apple-based calvados would work
1 apple fan, or a thin slice or two of apple, to garnish

First, make the syrup. Put the honey and 30ml cold water in a small saucepan, put it on a medium heat and stir until the honey dissolves. Take off the heat, leave to cool, then decant into a small clean jar, seal and chill in the fridge, where it will now keep happily for up to a month.

Measure the honey syrup and bitters into a mixing glass and stir to combine. Fill the glass with ice, add the calvados and stir until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice (we use one large ice cube), then serve garnished with an apple fan.

Kitty Sparks is the general manager of Lilienblum, London EC1

Source: The Guardian