Take Your Fall Cocktails To The Next Level With Mole Bitters

If you've ever traveled throughout Mexico — particularly the state of Oaxaca, where the preparation comes in seven famous varieties — you've most likely sampled mole, the complex, richly spiced stew that's the country's national dish, according to Savory Spice Shop. Commonly served with pork or chicken and accompanied by rice and tortillas, the nuanced flavor profiles of moles have worked their way into some unexpected foods, such as spiced nuts, dessert chips, and even ice cream. And if you prefer to drink your mole as opposed to eating it, then you might like mole-flavored bitters, which can add notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and spice to your favorite fall cocktails. 

If you're a cocktail nerd, then you already know about bitters, spirits made by infusing flavorful ingredients such as herbs, seeds, bark, roots, flowers, and berries into high-proof alcohol. The resultant brews, which can vary in taste from bold to subtle to sweet, are an essential ingredient in many cocktails, adding balance and complexity with just a few drops. Available in classic varieties such as Angostura, Peychaud's, and orange, bitters have also come out in some pretty far-out flavors over the past few decades, from palo santo to strawberry rhubarb (via Paste). Several bitters makers, including Bittermens, Bitter End, and Fee Brothers, offer bitters that feature the herbs and spices common in mole.

The fall-appropriate smokiness and spice of the various mole-style bitters on the market make them a wonderful complement to many cold-weather cocktails, according to Punch. The outlet writes that the bitters bring complexity to a variety of spirits, from agave-based tequila and mezcal to rum, bourbon, and rye. One fall cocktail Punch suggests for mole bitters is the Midnight Marauder, a spinoff on a Negroni featuring mezcal, the bitter French aperitif Bonal, and artichoke-based liqueur Cynar.  Or, to really bring out the chocolate notes present in mole bitters, you could opt for a rich, tequila-based espresso martini laced with Italian amaro and shaken with an egg white. 

As for us, we think mole bitters mesh perfectly into the Modern Manhattan. An amped-up take on the classic mix of whiskey, vermouth, and Angostura bitters, the cocktail opts for high-proof whiskey, Carpano Antica vermouth, and Olosoro sherry, topped with a home-cured cherry soaked in bourbon, Maraschino liqueur, and dark brown sugar.