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Smoke & Barley:
Cozy Winter Cocktail Recipe

Smoke & Barley Cocktail

The perfect holiday nightcap, delivered. Our seasonal Smoke & Barley cocktail is a grown-up version of beloved apple cider — a beguiling alchemy of bourbon, raw honey & lemon cordial, Gravenstein apple cider, dehydrated apple, and cinnamon. Toasty, smoky, bright and warming, this undeniably-festive cocktail is an idyllic fireside complement. Read on for our signature winter cocktail recipe from The Bar at MacArthur (note: Gravenstein apples are a historic and revered crop from Sonoma County. Should you have trouble finding this unique cider, try Northern Spy Apple or Granny Smith Apple as a substitute.)

Smoke & Barley Winter Cocktail Recipe

  • 2 oz Woodford Reserve Bourbon
  • 2 oz Apple Cider
  • 1 oz Honey-Lemon Cordial (recipe below)
  1. Combine all ingredients into a shaker.
  2. Shake and strain into a rocks glass.
  3. Top with a cinnamon stick & apple chip.
  4. For extra points, you can smoke-rinse your glass following instructions from the Whisky Advocate.

Honey-Lemon Cordial

  • 3/4 cup Fynbos Honey
  • 2 cups Water
  • 3/4 cup Muscavado Dark Brown Sugar
  • Juice and zest of 4 lemons, approximately 1 cup fresh lemon juice
  1. Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil.
  2. Cook the cordial for 10-15 minutes until the mixture is amber in color and has a syrupy consistency.
  3. Remove from the heat then allow to cool completely.
  4. When the mixture is cool, strain the lemon zest out and pour into bottles.
  5. Keep refrigerated (cordial will last 2-3 months in a sterilized and refrigerated bottle.)

We recommend sipping with friends and family around a fire pit, hearth or candlelit table as you soak in the holiday season.

Fire Pit At Dusk At MacArthur Place Hotel In Sonoma


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