January 14, 2025
This week’s cocktail feature changes the approach for winter drinks. While last week’s was meant to serve as an escape, a vacation in a glass, this week’s is one to hunker down with. A full bodied bourbon old-fashioned riff to keep warm on a frigid night. This also follows suit with some of our previous features as a cocktail gaining its name from a song. In this case, I was inspired by Steve Earle’s “The Devil’s Right Hand,” specifically Johnny Cash’s stripped down cover of it.
In a sense, this drink is a bourbon and Coca-Cola riff as well. The syrup I used is actually a recipe courtesy of Tiki author and star bar manager Garrett Richard. The grog concentrate syrup he developed for his expression of a Navy Grog actually comes from cooking down Mexican Coke with allspice. The end result is a Cola and allspice syrup of remarkable complexity. I decided to pair those elements with Peychaud’s bitters to bring some anise notes to the baking spice profile. The bitters also lend a bit of cherry, to complement the dark berry notes of the star of the show. The star player is our Nulu Hazmat Single Barrel, a robust high-rye bourbon clocking in at 141.4 proof.
A word on barrel proof bourbon old fashioneds, much like the cap and ball revolver of the song, they can get you into trouble but they can’t get you out. Sip and savor on a cold night in.
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The Devil's Right Hand Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
For Grog Concentrate Syrup:
- 1 bottle Mexican Coca-Cola
- 0.75 oz. whole allspice
- 20 oz. white sugar
For the cocktail:
- 1.75 oz. Nulu Single Barrel Hazmat Bourbon
- 0.5 oz. Richards’ grog concentrate syrup
- 3 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
Step-by-Step Recipe:
For Grog Concentrate Syrup (Makes 24 oz.):
From Tropical Standard: Cocktail Techniques & Reinvented Recipes
- Toast the allspice in a saucepan over medium heat until aromatic.
- Add the cola and syrup. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cover and reduce heat to low.
- After 15 minutes, remove from heat. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Strain, bottle, and refrigerate. It will keep for 4 weeks in the refrigerator.
For the Cocktail:
- Stir with ice and strain into a chilled Old-Fashioned glass over one large cube.
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