Fall in a Glass

I know it's winter and we're past fall, but I couldn't help but share this cocktail recipe. It's the best! I saw it a couple of months ago in Bon Appetit and earmarked it. I finally got around to trying it and oh my! I'm not usually a cocktail drinker. Wine is my nightly drink. I do love a good Gin and Tonic and sometimes a Slutty martini (so dirty it's slutty)ha! I coined that term at my friend Leighton's wedding after having one too many martinis. Yikes. I've apologized to her too many times to count for being absurdly drunk at her wedding. She says I was fine and has no problem with my behavior that night, I beg to differ, but whatever. She throws a good party;)

This drink is called Fall Classic and it's oh so yummy. I splurged on the bourbon and used Blanton's. Hall is a HUGE whiskey drinker and keeps a pretty good supply of the good stuff so I snuck a couple tbsp out of one of his nicer bottles. I went cheaper on the apple brandy since we didn't have any on hand. I got Laird's Apple Jack. Not sure if it differs from the regular apple brandy but I didn't want to splurge on something I wasn't sure I was going to like. Also I couldn't find any apple cider at the super market. Everyone has moved onto eggnog. Maybe next year I'll get the good stuff, but for now I used Simply Apple Juice.

1/2 C sugar
15 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp apple brandy
2 tbsp bourbon
2 tbsp apple cider
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 dash of bitters

Bring sugar and 1/2 c water to boil in small saucepan. As soon as sugar dissolves pull off the heat and add all the thyme sprigs. Let cool completely. Then remove thyme sprigs. Keep in the fridge for future drinks!

Fill a shaker with ice. Add 1 tbsp simple syrup, apple brandy, bourbon, apple cider, lemon juice and bitters. Shake 10-15 times. Pour into chilled martini glass. Enjoy! It's dangerously delicious!