If you love classic cocktails with a twist, give this Moonshine Old Fashioned recipe a try. It combines moonshine with a spiced simple syrup.
An Old Fashioned is one of my favorite cocktails. As they say, you can’t go wrong with the classics.
But there’s certainly nothing wrong with adding a little twist to the classics every now and again.
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The Inspiration
A local restaurant serves a phantom Old Fashioned, replacing the typical bourbon with moonshine. The cocktail is clear, but thanks to spiced simple syrup, the flavor is very similar to a traditional Old Fashioned recipe.
This is definitely one you’ll want to try at home.
If you have friends who love classic cocktails or bourbon, hand them one of these. Then sit back and watch as they figure out that they’re not drinking vodka, gin or rum but rather, white lighting!
I enlisted the help of fellow blogger D. Durand Worthey from This Worthey Life to create a make-at-home version of The Traveled Farmer’s moonshine Old Fashioned recipe.
It is amazing!
Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you will need:
- Moonshine whiskey — we used Popcorn Sutton brand, but any commercially avaialble moonshine can be used
- Sugar – We used raw cane sugar
- Spices – You’ll need cloves, cinnamon, allspice and star anise to make the simple syrup
- Orange – You’ll need orange zest for the simple syrup and an orange slice for garnish
- Cherry bitters
- Orange bitters
- Water
- stemmed cherry
- ice
Equipment
You’ll need a few barware and kitchen basics:
How To Make Spiced Simple Syrup
The homemade spiced simple syrup, which is made with raw cane sugar, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, star anise and orange zest, is key to this cocktail’s Old Fashioned flavor.
To make it, you’ll need to dissolve the sugar in boiling water with the spices and steep, and then strain the mixture through a fine sieve. (You’ll find the detailed recipe, with quantities, at the end of this post.)
Refrigerated, the simple syrup should last for 2 weeks to a month.
Be sure to try these other recipes for Brown Sugar Syrup and Cinnamon-Spiced Caramel Simple Syrup. They can be used in cocktails, coffee, tea, apple cider and other hot or cold beverages.
How to Make An Old Fashioned with Moonshine
- Add a cup of ice to a cocktail shaker
- Pour in moonshine whiskey, spiced simple syrup, cherry and orange bitters, and water. (See recipe card for quantities).
- Mix ingredients with a long-handled cocktail spoon thoroughly for 25 turns.
- Strain into a standard rocks glass over a large cube or sphere of ice.
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a stemmed cherry.
- Serve and enjoy.
The local restaurant that inspired this moonshine Old Fashioned recipe serves theirs with a block of completely clear ice. The clear ice in the clear moonshine looks amazing, but it’s a somewhat involved process that you may not want to tackle at home.
So, I recommend using a sphere or large cube ice mold instead. It still looks cool.
Cheers!
Drink responsibly, and never drink and drive.
More Cocktail Recipes
- Bourbon & Vodka Spiked Party Punch
- Jalapeno-Infused Bourbon Limeade
- Dark and Stormy Night Cocktail
- Cinnamon Apple Cider Slushie Cocktail
- Spiked Chai Latte
- Hot Buttered Rum
- Red Hot Cinnamon Apple Martini
Printable Recipe Cards
Spiced Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup raw cane sugar
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground allspice
- 1 star anise
- 2 slivers of orange zest
Instructions
- In a small saucepan over medium-high heat add water, raw cane sugar, ground cloves, cinnamon, allspice, star anise, and orange zest.
- The water will initially appear cloudy, but it will become clear as the sugar dissolves.
- When the mixture begins to boil, remove the saucepan from direct heat.
- Cover the saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and allow the syrup to steep for five minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine sieve.
- Store the spiced simple syrup in an air-tight container and keep refrigerated.
Nutrition
Phantom Moonshine Old Fashioned Cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 ounces moonshine whiskey
- 1 ounce spiced simple syrup
- 3 dashes cherry bitters
- 1-2 dashes angostura orange bitters
- 1 Tablespoon water
- orange wheel
- stemmed cherry
- Ice
Instructions
- Into a cocktail shaker, add one cup of ice.
- Add moonshine whiskey, spiced simple syrup, cherry and orange bitters, and water.
- Mix ingredients with a long-handled cocktail spoon thoroughly for 25 turns.
- Strain into a standard rocks glass over a large cube or sphere of ice.
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a stemmed cherry.
- Serve and enjoy.
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