If you’re a follower of Caroline on Crack or ThirstyinLA, you may have seen their hunt for the best Old Fahsioned they’ve been conducting. This too is always an ongoing search myself, I like to think I make a pretty mean Old Fashioned when the craving hits, but am still always looking to top The Collingwood Old Fashioned, fittingly named The Crane Project after our many discussions on them, made by Evelyn Chick formerly of Uva Wine Bar in Vancouver.

Seeing all the posts from their hunt for the best old fashioned left me with a craving. Home I went planning to craft one.

However, I got home last night and remembered “I just got that brand new bottle of Ron Zacapa!” It had been too long since I’d served that delicious sweet nectar over a rock, so I changed my plan a bit. I’d already made a Ron Zacapa before, so thought I would mix it up a bit and go for my favorite brother cocktail to the Old Fashioned; A Monte Carlo cocktail. With this I used Fee Brother’s Orange Bitters and also added in 1/3 oz of Cynar. It was quite delicious.

2 oz Ron Zacapa

1/3 oz Benedictine

1/3 oz Cynar

2-3 dashes Fee Brother’s Orange Bitter

Orange peel twist to garnish.

Stir to perfection and strain over a large rock.

I may play with the proportions slightly, but this was a tasty combo.