Old Sevillian Bourbon Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

• Chinese five-spice syrup 3 cups demerara sugar8 whole star anise pods1½  tablespoon fennel seedOne 3-inch cinnamon stick, broken1 tablespoon whole cloves1 tablespoon peppercorns6 black cardamom pods
• Cocktail1 slice orange2 brandied cherries, plus 1 for garnish2½ ounces bourbon½ ounce Chinese five-spice syrup1 teaspoon Seville orange marmalade5 drops hellfire bitters4 drops mole bittersIceOne 4-inch orange peel

Directions

1. Make the syrup: In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the sugar and 2 cups of water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Place the star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns and cardamom in a spice or coffee grinder and process to a coarse powder. Heat a stainless-steel pot over medium heat until hot; add the spices and toast, shaking the pan frequently, until the powder slightly smokes and becomes fragrant. Add the syrup to the pan with the toasted spices and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat; remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the syrup through a fine strainer; place in a lidded container and store in the refrigerator until using.
2. Make the cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, add the orange slice and 2 cherries. Crush with a wooden muddler or wooden kitchen spoon. Add the bourbon, five-spice syrup, marmalade and bitters and fill the shaker with ice; shake until well chilled. Double-strain through a fine-mesh sieve into an Old-Fashioned glass filled with a large cube of ice. Garnish with a wide strip of orange zest and the remaining cherry.