Spiced Herbal Bitters Cocktail
A handcrafted cocktail featuring botanical bitters combined with warming spices and citrus for a complex, aromatic drink. This recipe, ready in about 5 minutes, brings together rye whiskey, aromatic bitters, orange bitters for a refreshing, crowd-pleasing drink — a bright, easy pour for parties, gatherings, or any warm-weather afternoon when you want something festive without alcohol-only options. Each serving lands at about 160 calories and feeds 1, so it works for entertaining, brunch, or a non-alcoholic option at the bar cart. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 2 oz rye whiskey
- 4 dashes aromatic bitters
- 2 dashes orange bitters
- 1 tsp simple syrup
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 whole star anise
- 1 strip orange peel
- as needed ice cubes
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: In a mixing glass, combine 2 oz rye whiskey, 4 dashes aromatic bitters, 2 dashes orange bitters, and 1 tsp simple syrup with plenty of ice cubes.
- Step 2: Stir vigorously for 30 seconds until the mixture is chilled and slightly diluted.
- Step 3: Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with 1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise pod, and a twisted strip of orange peel, expressing the oils over the drink before adding it.
