★ Original Cocktail ★
Ingredients
1.5 oz 90 proof bourbon (or 2 oz 80 proof bourbon)
generous 1/4 oz golden-thyme syrup
2 dashes Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters
5 drops saline solution
thyme sprigs
lemon peel spiral
Directions
Build in a glass over ice. Garnish with thyme sprigs and a lemon peel spiral on a cocktail pick.
Notes
This is a variation on an old fashioned. Woodford Reserve bourbon works well here with its sweeter, caramel-honey notes, but use what you like. Thyme sprigs and saline solution help coax more flavor from the syrup, while still keeping the sweetness at the right level. Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters have the truest cardamom flavor, but again, use what you can find or prefer. The lemon peel garnish is aesthetic only—expressing lemon oil from the peel throws off the delicate balance of the drink.
I don’t gravitate toward bourbon drinks—and I just love this. Absolutely delightful.
Update
There are challenges with the thyme syrup coming through the cocktail, so for more precise results, I’m updating the measurements to grams. The cocktail could also benefit from more of the syrup. Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters are strong: 1 dash might be enough. But it’s safe to add another drop of saline. Also noting here: thyme sprigs as a garnish can be tricky, but they do add aroma.
It’s possible gin might be a better base liquor: the drink looks truly golden as a result (versus brown), and it’s a better pairing with the thyme. If using gin, orange bitters work well, along with lemon peel, oil expressed into the drink and then the peel as a garnish.
Version 2:
1.5 oz 90 proof bourbon (or 2 oz 80 proof bourbon)
scant 1/2 oz golden-thyme syrup (measuring 2 g of thyme, instead of 2 sprigs)
1 dash Scrappy’s Cardamom Bitters
6 drops saline solution
thyme sprigs
lemon peel spiral
Version 3:
1.5 oz gin
scant 1/2 oz golden-thyme syrup (measuring 2 g of thyme, instead of 2 sprigs)
2 dashes orange bitters (Fee Brothers or Regans)
6 drops saline solution
lemon peel
