What's new here: Toasted-pecan-infused Japanese whisky meets Mauby — a Caribbean syrup made from tree bark that starts sweet and finishes slightly bitter, so every sip shifts as you drink it.
Prep: Toasted-pecan-infused Japanese whisky
- Toast a handful of raw pecans on the stovetop or in the oven until fragrant.
- Add them to the Japanese whisky and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably 24. The whisky turns noticeably darker.
- Strain through a coffee filter twice and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Save the pecans for the pairing.
Prep: Mauby syrup
- Gather: 5–8 pieces (about 1/2 oz) mauby bark, 6–10 cups water (divided for boiling and diluting), 1 cinnamon stick, 3–10 whole cloves, 1 star anise (or 1 tsp aniseed or fennel seeds), 1–2 bay leaves, the peel of 1/2–1 orange (fresh or dried), and 3–5 cups brown or cane sugar.
- Boil the bark and spices in part of the water, then strain.
- Sweeten with the sugar, adjusting to taste — more sugar tames the bitterness.
- Dilute with the remaining water to taste. Cool and refrigerate.
Method
- Add the infused whisky, Mauby syrup and pecan bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large tempered ice cube.
- Garnish to taste — pictured with a gourmet maraschino cherry, a candied lemon peel and a bourbon-candied orange peel.
Why it works
Toasting the pecans before infusing brings out their nutty, roasted aromas, which the whisky pulls in over a day in the fridge. Mauby is a Caribbean bark-based syrup: it starts sweet and moves to a gentle bitterness — a built-in evolution from the first sip to the last.
Pairing
Re-toast the pecans you strained out of the whisky and add a pinch of flaky salt.
Enjoy!
Techniques used
- Spirit Infusion — Steep nuts, spices, fruit or tea directly in a spirit to give it a new layer of flavor — the simplest way to make a drink your own.
- Infused Syrups — Steep teas, spices, herbs or unusual botanicals into syrup — the fastest way to bring a new flavor into any drink.