Pine Old Fashioned

A Pine Old Fashioned is the perfect holiday cocktail idea!

With a bold pine syrup and your favorite bourbon, this easy cocktail comes together quickly and is just the drink to serve at all your holiday parties.

A pine old fashioned is a cool twist on a classic cocktail. — Looking for a Christmas Old Fashioned? This drink is for you!

I love a good Old Fashioned recipe but I came across a product that makes it even more wintery and wonderful. It’s a pine-flavored cocktail syrup and it makes the perfect Christmas cocktail!

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Why This Cocktail

Nothing says holidays like the scent of pine! When we bring home our Christmas Tree, it signals that the holiday is in full swing!

This cocktail, with the herbal pine notes, is a fun twist on a classic bourbon drink. It’s unique and would be a fun one to serve at your holiday parties.

This classic cocktail idea is made with just a few ingredients and is perfect for sipping on a cool evening.

It’s also a smidge sweeter than the classic recipe so it’s a little easier to drink for people who typically wouldn’t sip straight bourbon.

Candy cane martinis on a table with text next to it.

Ingredients

The ingredients are simple. My husband got this yummy Buffalo Trace bourbon for his birthday and I grabbed my favorite spiced bitters.

Pine syrup (similar to the one I used) isn’t super easy to find so you’ll need to plan ahead and buy it ahead of time.

I’m sure you can make your own pine syrup with needles from your tree but who knows what kinds of chemicals they put on those?

As with a traditional bourbon Old Fashioned, you’ll also use an orange peel garnish. It’s the perfect finishing touch.

How to Make a Pine Old Fashioned

Woman measuring pine syrup in a cocktail jigger.

Add your bourbon and your pine syrup. I made mine in a cocktail pitcher for no other reason that it was pretty and I had one.

You could also make this right in the glass you are serving it in, preferably a short cocktail glass.

Woman adding drops of bitters to a cocktail.

Drop in your bitters.

A woman mixing a cocktail in a drink pitcher.

Stir it up, little darling.

Woman pouring a Pine Old Fashioned into a cocktail glass over ice.

Strain into a short glass, (low ball? no one said I was an expert…) with new ice.

This might be one of two drinks I’ve ever made with this strainer thing. For the most part, you can get by without one. I never like to buy extra tools for no reason.

Woman squeezing an orange twist over a Pine Old Fashioned in a cocktail glass.

Twist a peel of orange over the glass and drop her in. This expells a mist of citrus juice and oils to flavor and scent the cocktail. And it’s awesome.

Woman holding a Pine Old Fashioned with an orange twist garnish in her hands.

And then drink up!

Note: The pine syrup is much more subtle than I thought it would be. It’s a simple syrup so it sweetens up the drink while imparting a hint of herbaceous flavor.

It’s perfect for a winter’s evening by hearth’s edge. And by that, I mean wrapped up in a blanket on the couch watching a holiday movie. It’s also a great Christmas Old Fashioned to sip while waiting for Santa.

Here’s another delish sounding cocktail using pine syrup. I’m going to try that one next. But this is an Old Fashioned Recipe you’re going to want to make every year!

Recipe is by Dram Apothecary. Dram also makes a Pine Syrup but it appears to be sold out and I’m not sure if they will make more. If they do, I suggest trying this recipe with that syrup!

All images by Dez and Tam Photography

Tips

You can use your favorite whisky or bourbon to make this Old Fashioned recipe. Use something you like the flavor of since this drink is all liquor.
If you don’t have pine syrup, you can just make a regular Old Fashioned.
You can use any other flavored simple sryrup to add another layer of flavor to this holiday bourbon cocktail. Something like cherry would be tasty! Or you can use an orange simple syrup to play up the flavor from the garnish.
For even more herbal flavor, consider swapping out the bourbon and make this with gin. Gin has it’s own flavors that are crisp and fresh that will enhance the pine flavor even more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there other ways to add pine to a cocktail?

Yes. Along with pine syrup (which I think is the easiest way to infuse your drink with that herbal pine flavor) you may be able to find pine liqueur, pine brandy or pine schnapps. I have never seen these in stores so they may be hard to find.

Is rye or bourbon better for an Old Fashioned?

Traditionally bourbon is used most often for an Old Fashioned. Even as a pretty regular drinker of cocktails, I can’t taste the nuances of flavor in most drinks. I say use what you have and don’t buy anything special to make this. If you have bourbon, use it. But if you only had rye whisky, I’d use that to try the recipe and go from there.