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Cocktail History
The Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created as an autumn variation of the classic Old Fashioned. The recipe calls for whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters just like the original, but this version swaps out the regular simple syrup with a pumpkin spice one for more depth and seasonality.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. We used Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Pumpkin Spice Syrup: This is a sweetener made with pumpkin purée, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, brown sugar, white sugar, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.
Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Orange Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters.
Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. We used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
Tasting Notes
The Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned has familiar orange and pumpkin aromas and a relatively off-dry flavor that highlights the whiskey with subtle flavors of pumpkin and other spices, which linger on the aftertaste along with a slight bourbon burn.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: This one definitely worked well for both of us, with Kendall enjoying the Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned even more than the standard recipe. Skip the Starbucks during the evening hours this season and stir up one of these for yourself instead.
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: ⭐⭐⭐
“Like most things pumpkin spice, I liked this but didn’t necessarily love it. The pumpkin combines well with bourbon and bitters, and the drink leaves a dry flavor of heavy whiskey in the mouth afterwards. I personally liked that, but the casual enjoyer might like a touch more syrup in their glass.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Believe or not, I don’t reach for an Old Fashioned pretty much ever. I do sometimes ask Alex to make a Falling Leaves or a Mountain Man during the autumn months, but I think I’m going to have to add this to my rotation for this season. We never know how pumpkin spice will pair with cocktail ingredients, especially now that we’ve learned we don’t enjoy it in the Margarita template, but it works very well in this one. I personally liked it even more than the original!”
Recipe
Add whiskey, pumpkin spice syrup, aromatic bitters, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cubed ice.
Garnish with orange twist.
Ingredients
Directions
Add whiskey, pumpkin spice syrup, aromatic bitters, orange bitters, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
Stir for 30-45 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cubed ice.
Garnish with orange twist.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey, All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Autumn Cocktails
If you like this autumn-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Thanksgiving Nog: A dark rum cocktail made with water, heavy cream, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, maple syrup, vanilla, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground mace, whipped cream, and a cinnamon stick
Spiced Pumpkin Punch: A gin cocktail made with apple cider, pumpkin purée, honey syrup, lemon juice, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon sticks
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
Pumpkin Spiced Russian: A vodka cocktail made with coffee liqueur, milk, caramel sauce, pumpkin spice syrup, and a cinnamon stick
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