Smoker's Companion: Rum Spiced Cider

Evening, everyone....Emily here. I am bringing you one of my favorite Fall cocktails.  It’s simple, easy, and delicious. Important fact: I am Basic AF. I love pumpkin spiced lattes, fall leaves (just kidding- I live in Florida where it is like 90 degrees Fahrenheit out each Halloween. Fall doesn’t exist here) and all things autumnal.  I am THAT person. 

Anyway, the cocktail that I often enjoy this time of year is Rum Spiced Cider. I got this recipe from an old friend when we used to live in Cleveland. For reference, this friend had “party plates,” which in Ohio means that you have been convicted of at least two DUIs. While I DO NOT condone drunk driving, I do trust a cocktail recipe from someone with party plates. Take 8-12 ounces of apple cider, and either heat it in a saucepan on the stove, or microwave it in a Pyrex pitcher.. I usually do the latter because my saucepans are usually in the dishwasher and I’m lazy. I then add spiced rum. I usually add 1 oz per 8 oz of apple cider, but I used 12 oz of apple cider tonight with 2 oz of spiced rum because I’m generous like that since the bar manager is on vacation.

If you want to be extra, and you KNOW I do, you can add some whipped cream and a little caramel syrup that I happened to have laying around in the refrigerator. 

 

This is the finished product. Look, I know I won’t be giving up my day job to be a barista at Starbucks, but I like it. It’s ideal on a cool, damp night or if you want dessert and booze mixed together in the same mug. You can also swap the rum out for a nice bourbon but do what you like. Like, whatever, life is about choices, ya know?  Enjoy. 

Smoker's Companion - Old Fashioned

Most cigar smokers already know that any type of whiskey, especially bourbon, pair well with a nice cigar. Most smokers, including myself, usually just pour the spirit into a nice crystal glass and maybe add an ice cube or two. This is a great start to a relaxing evening but what if you wanted to make your self something a bit more special?

Enter the Old Fashioned. This cocktail is one of the OGs, literally. The furthest back in time the drink is documented dates to a book published in 1806. In addition, this is another amazingly simple and delicious cocktail to make but it does require a few steps to craft a perfect old fashioned.

First, you need to assemble the accouterments: bourbon of choice, ice cubes, simple syrup, bitters (I use Angostura), orange peel, and a suitable receptacle. 

Begin by pouring in the 1/2 ounce of simple syrup, 3 dashes of bitters, about 4 or 5 small ice cubes or 1 large ice cube into the glass. Then add 2.5 ounces of your bourbon and stir gently to combine.  Rub the orange peel around the rim of the glass then dropping it into the drink when completed. Enjoy and repeat at least 1 more time.... possibly two or three if you are already comfortably staying at home. About 3 of these and you may be cursing like the Winnebago man.




Some people swap rye whiskey for the bourbon, but I am not much of a rye whiskey fan. The bourbons I use in the drink are also the bourbons I tend to drink over rocks or neat such as Woodford Reserve, Elijah Craig 12 (EC12), Buffalo Trace, or Eagle Rare. For this particular Old Fashioned I used Woodford Reserve.

Remember to always enjoy responsibly and do not drink and drive or attempt to sell Winnebagos or something to that effect.