RICHMOND, Va. – Friday is the perfect day to kick back and start the weekend with a delicious cocktail. Whisky Experience Ambassador Will Reed from Virginia Distillery Company joined us in the kitchen and walked Host Jessica Noll through how to make three Fall inspired signature cocktails, including a Cherry Walnut Old Fashioned. For more information you can visit http://www.vadistillery.com
Virginia Distillery Co.’s Toasted Walnut
and Vanilla Bean Infusion Recipe
Our Virginia Highland Malt Whisky is highly acclaimed in its pure form, but adding a little flavor and spice never hurts! This warm and nutty infusion may be just what you need to perfect that special cocktail.
Toasted Walnut and Vanilla Bean Infused Whisky
1 750-milliliter bottle of Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
½ cup walnuts
1 vanilla bean
Toast walnuts in a 350-degree oven for ten minutes, flipping halfway through. Pour whisky into a container with walnuts. Split the vanilla bean and add it to the container. Let the concoction sit for two or more days, taste-testing encouraged! The result goes great by itself as well as in a cocktail.
Virginia Distillery Co.’s Cherry Walnut
Old Fashioned Recipe
Everyone knows a classic old fashioned cocktail. We’ve taken that flawless age-old whisky drink and tuned it up for the colder months by adding a little bit of nut, chocolate and spice.
Cherry Walnut Old Fashioned Makes one cocktail
2 Luxardo cherries ¾ ounce Luxardo cherry juice 3 dashes chocolate bitters ¾ ounce brown sugar simple syrup* 1 ½ ounce toasted walnut and vanilla bean infused Virginia Highland Malt Whisky**
• Muddle 1 Luxardo cherry, cherry juice, bitters and simple syrup.
• Stir in Virginia Highland Malt Whisky and add a few ice cubes.
• Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
*For brown sugar simple syrup: Boil 2 cups of water and mix in 2 cups of brown sugar, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool slightly before straining. Label and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
**For toasted walnut and vanilla bean infused whisky: Pour 750 milliliter bottle of Virginia Highland Malt Whisky into a container with ½ cup lightly toasted walnuts (toast in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes, flip halfway through). Add one split vanilla bean and let sit for two or more days.
Virginia Distillery Co.’s Apple Cider Smash Recipe
September is here, and that means it’s time to start enjoying Virginia’s delicious apple harvest. Our Apple Cider Smash enlists the perfect balance of fruit and spice to complement our Virginia Highland Malt Whisky on a crisp fall day.
Apple Cider Smash
Makes one cocktail.
1½ ounces Virginia Highland Malt Whisky
5 ounces apple cider
½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup*
Apple slice to garnish
1. Combine ingredients in glass over ice.
2. Stir and garnish with apple slice.
*For cinnamon brown sugar simple syrup: Boil 1 cup water. Add 1 cup light brown sugar and 2 cinnamon sticks and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool before straining.