Cinnamon Old Fashioned

There is something quietly satisfying about an old fashioned. Three ingredients, one piece of citrus and a moment of patience while you stir. This cinnamon version keeps that minimalism but trades plain sugar for a warm, lightly spiced syrup that turns a familiar drink into something that feels written for December.

The Syrup Does the Heavy Lifting

Cinnamon-infused simple syrup is the only real change from the classic, but it shapes everything. Real cinnamon sticks give a softer, more rounded flavour than ground cinnamon, which can leave the cocktail cloudy and slightly bitter. A ten-minute simmer is enough to draw out the aromatic oils without turning the syrup harsh. Keep it in the fridge and you will find yourself reaching for it in coffee, on porridge and in pretty much every winter drink you make.

When you stir, give it the full thirty seconds. Old fashioneds rely on dilution as much as flavour, and a rushed stir leaves the drink hot and disjointed. Taste a small spoonful before straining; it should feel rounded, faintly sweet and unmistakably warm.

A Spirited Cousin in the Glass

If you enjoy the way warming spices play with a brown spirit, you will probably enjoy what happens when those same spices meet gin and apple. Hot Apple Gin takes a similar idea in a completely different direction, building cinnamon and clove into a hot, fragrant cup rather than a stirred cocktail. The cinnamon old fashioned is the cold, contemplative version; the apple gin is the one you make for friends who have just stepped in from the snow.

Either way, the orange peel is non-negotiable. Express it firmly over the glass so the citrus oils land on the surface, then rub it around the rim before dropping it in.