Apple Brandy Old-Fashioned

An Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail is a simple mixture of whiskey, sugar, bitters and a citrus peel. It is a sublimely simple and delicious preparation for a wide range of spirits besides just whiskey—rum, tequila, brandy—and a fine apple brandy is no exception. Showcasing the earthy flavor of fermented apples with just a bit of sugar and bitters is a perfect preparation to enjoy classic holiday flavors in a new way.

Applejack Rabbit

At PDT, Jim Meehan uses local Deep Mountain Grade B maple syrup in this classic cocktail, but any Grade B syrup will work. It adds a deep, complex flavor to this bright, tart, and delicious drink.

Mott and Mulberry

This cocktail was created by Leo Robitschek of The Nomad and Eleven Madison Park in New York City. It spices up apple cider with rye and Amaro Abano, an amaro that's a bit more bitter than Averna, and a bit less mentholated-tasting than Fernet.

Guns of Barbaresco

This cocktail softens potent 100-proof apple brandy with bright lemon and Barolo Chinato, a bittersweet, herb- and spice-dosed digestivo made from one of Italy's best wines. The results are rich, fruity, and spirituous.

White Negroni

A riff on the classic crimson version, the White Negroni pairs gin with white (blanc) vermouth and uncolored bitter liqueur for a neutral-hued, but still-bracing, cocktail.

Sparkling Apple Sherry Cocktail

Juicy apples meet bubbly prosecco, rich sherry, and sweet orange liqueur in this fall cocktail.

Italian Buck (Amaro and Ginger Beer Highball)

This fizzy, spicy, sweet-tart, and bitter drink was created by Jamie Boudreau of Canon in Seattle, and appears in Amaro by Brad Thomas Parsons. It's a little like a bitter, gutsy take on a Dark 'n Stormy, but instead of rum, the drink is made with two bittersweet Italian liqueurs: orangey Montenegro and vegetal Cynar.

Unusual Negroni (Aperol, Lillet, and Gin Cocktail)

A lighter, mellower Negroni, made with Aperol and Lillet.

Negroni

Crisp and bitter, the classic cocktail of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth is dependably delicious, and remarkably difficult to foul up.

Fallen Leaves

This is a perfect autumn cocktail. With the color of its namesake foliage, the Fallen Leaves has a rich, delicate flavor derived from that most seasonal of spirits, aged apple brandy. It's fine to use Calvados in one of these, but I like to reach for the 8-year-old Eau de Vie de Pomme, from Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery. At a time when the autumn chill is becoming a little more apparent each night, a Fallen Leaves can be a great evening companion.