Maple Walnut Old Fashioned

Why This Maple Walnut Old Fashioned Works

Once the bourbon, maple syrup, and walnut bitters hit the ice in the mixing glass, the drink starts to change. Stirring with a lot of ice chills the liquid fast and also adds a little water. That extra water smooths out the sharp bite of the bourbon so it doesn’t taste harsh, but it still stays strong. The maple syrup blends in as it thins out in the cold bourbon, so the drink tastes lightly sweet instead of sticky or heavy.

As the drink sits over the big ice cube in the glass, it keeps cooling slowly instead of getting watery right away. A large cube melts more slowly than a bunch of small ones, so the drink stays steady for longer. When the orange peel twist goes in, the outer layer of the peel touches the cold surface and some of the scented oil on the peel spreads over the top of the drink. The walnut piece on top starts to share a little of its nutty taste as it sits, tying in with the walnut bitters already mixed in.

Mistakes To Avoid

Using too much maple syrup easily throws the drink off. The extra sugar makes the cocktail feel thick and sticky on the tongue, and the bourbon gets buried so the drink tastes flat and heavy instead of clean and strong.

Pouring straight from a warm bottle of bourbon over ice without stirring long enough in the mixing glass keeps the drink sharp and hot. The liquid doesn’t cool or dilute properly, so the alcohol hits harshly and the maple and walnut notes stay faint and unblended.

Skipping the large ice cube and using a pile of small cubes in the serving glass causes the drink to water down fast. As the small ice melts quickly, the cocktail turns thin and weak halfway through the glass.

Twisting the orange peel directly into the mixing glass instead of over the finished drink can mute the aroma. The oils get stirred in and dulled by the ice, so the top of the drink smells flat instead of bright and citrusy.