Canadian sleigh ride cocktail

A warming and delicious cocktail!

Crisp nights and roaring fires are the perfect setting for warm-your-insides cocktails. While bourbon is a very popular drinks base these days, I often find Canadian or rye Whiskey to be even more beguiling. It boast a subtle yet distinctive flavour that can be enhanced in so many ways. Adding maple syrup makes this cocktail even more flag-wavingly proud. I also like to use whole berries from cranberry sauce as a garnish; while not quite as perfectly pretty as raw cranberries, they are softer and far more enjoyable to eat. They’re also a patriotic choice, given that Canada is the world’s second-largest producer of this tart red fruit! Don’t skip the dash or three of aromatic bitters – they add a wonderful complexity to the cocktail’s flavour.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces (45 mL) Canadian or rye Whiskey
• 1/2 ounce (15 mL) maple syrup
• 1/4 ounce (7.5 mL) dry vermouth
• dash or three of bitters
• 3 – 5 whole cooked cranberries (from cranberry sauce) or other preferred garnish

Method

• Shake all ingredients together over ice for at least one minute to blend thoroughly. You don’t need a cocktail shaker to do this – simply use a canning jar with a tight fitting lid.
• Strain into a cocktail glass which contains fresh ice.
• Garnish as desired.

Makes one cocktail.

Note: If you’d like to make this drink your ‘signature cocktail’ for a party, you can prepare a larger batch ahead of time and refrigerate without ice in a glass pitcher. Pour over ice as needed.