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Cocktail History
The Cardamom & Whisky Cobbler is a fall cocktail that was created by author Jassy Davis and was first published in her book Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter. It’s a version of the classic Cobbler, which is typically made with sherry, that instead uses smoky Scotch and Armagnac as the base spirits and pairs them with an interesting mixture of pineapple, citrus, and cardamom flavors.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Scotch: This is one of the base spirits. It’s a type of whiskey made with malt or grain in Scotland. We used The Famous Grouse because it’s a great mixing Scotch with a bit of smoky flavor but still plenty of sweetness. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the Scotch.
Armagnac: This is the other base spirit. It’s a type of brandy made with grapes in Armagnac, France. We used Larressingle VSOP Armagnac because it has a rich and smoky flavor with notes of plum and vanilla. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Pineapple Juice: This adds more sweet and fruity pineapple flavor. We prefer fresh pineapple juice, but you can substitute canned juice if that’s easier than juicing an entire pineapple.
Lime Juice: This adds sour citrus flavors for balance. We used fresh citrus juice because it’s less bitter than the bottled stuff and tastes better.
Cardamom Syrup: This is a sweetener made with cardamom pods, white sugar, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Mint Sprig: This is the garnish. It adds fresh mint aroma.
Tasting Notes
The Cardamom & Whisky Cobbler has aromas of mint and pineapple and a dry taste that blends sweet pineapple, deep cardamom, and its combination of spirits into a sweet, complex, and tropical yet autumnal flavor. The aftertaste then brings more cardamom blended with pineapple to create a slightly spicy but uplifting and bright taste.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Despite its eclectic ingredients that don’t really land this recipe in the fall category, in our opinion, we thought this cobbler was super unique and had a tasty mix of flavors that we both enjoyed.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I found this drink to be very unique in that it’s described as ‘autumnal’ but uses pineapple. Plus, it’s called a cobbler but doesn’t have any sherry. Overall, it was very good; it has a surprisingly dry taste that is heavy with pineapple yet seamlessly blended everything else behind it. The pineapple being so aggressive wasn’t bad per se, but it may have taken something away from the mood the recipe attempts to create. I was also a bit disappointed that it didn’t include sherry since a cobbler typically has that as a base. In my opinion, a split between sherry and whisky would be a great place to start because the aged spirit is part of what gives it a fall flavor and I wouldn’t want to lose that altogether. The cardamom syrup is also a great addition; it gives it some baking spice sweetness that later-season drinks need.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Drinks with pineapple on their lists of ingredients don’t really scream ‘fall’ to me, but if ever there were a refreshing cobbler that had the air of fall flavors, this would be one of them. The Scotch and Cognac mixed with the unique cardamom syrup and fruit juice are interesting together, and there’s really no way to describe the flavor. It’s incredibly unique but definitely tasty. Of the cobblers we’ve tried, this just wasn’t my personal favorite, and that’s why I gave it three stars. I prefer the Cranberry Cobbler over this one this time of year.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis.
Add whisky, brandy, pineapple juice, cardamom syrup, lime juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Ingredients
Directions
Add whisky, brandy, pineapple juice, cardamom syrup, lime juice, and ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a highball glass over fresh crushed ice.
Garnish with mint sprig.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the Scotch and Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Tools & Glassware We Recommend
More Autumn Cocktails
If you like this autumn cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that are similar that you may enjoy:
Flannel Shirt: A Scotch cocktail made with apple cider, Amaro Averna, lemon juice, simple syrup, St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, and an orange peel
American Trilogy: A rye and apple brandy cocktail made with brown sugar syrup, orange bitters, and an orange peel
Filibuster: A rye cocktail made with lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, and Angostura aromatic bitters
Spiced Pumpkin Punch: A gin cocktail made with apple cider, pumpkin purée, honey syrup, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon sticks
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