Autumn Leaves

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (130 ratings)

Glass:

Photographed in an Urban Bar Fluet Old Fashioned 1920 34cl

Ingredients:
34 oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
34 oz Calvados / apple brandy / straight applejack
34 oz Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth
14 oz Liquore Strega
2 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

Prepare:

  1. Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

How to make:

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).

Garnish:

  1. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10
Cocktail of the day:

5th December 2025 is Repeal Day

Review:

Whiskey, apple brandy, vermouth and herbal liqueur combine delightfully in this autumnal cocktail.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2008 by Jeffrey Morgenthaler at Bel Ami Lounge in Eugene, Oregon. Jeffrey's recipe calls for 22.5ml (¾oz) Wild Turkey rye, 22.5ml (¾oz) Clear Creek apple brandy, 22.5ml (¾oz) Carpano Antica Formula, 7.5ml (¼oz) Strega and 2 dashes of his house made cinnamon tincture.

Nutrition:

One serving of Autumn Leaves contains 159 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 28.39% alc./vol. (56.77° proof)
  • 21.5 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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7th December at 12:48
Not bad at all! Bulleit Rye, Calvados Busnel VSOP. Great winter coctail.
Steven Jepson’s Avatar Steven Jepson
5th December at 22:48
Tried this on 5th December to celebrate end of prohibition.
No Strega so used 1/8ths of yellow Chartreuse / Benedictine and this is rather nice.
Rye was a Sazernac
Walter Brookbank’s Avatar Walter Brookbank
5th December at 14:32
Great use of the Strega, I used Old Overholt Rye Whiskey and Cnia Mata Vermouth Tinto Reserva. Nice drink indeed for the fall.
Chris Brislawn’s Avatar Chris Brislawn
5th December at 07:05
Fee Bros. Old-Fashioned Aromatic Bitters has a strong cinnamon note and is probably closer to Morgenthaler's cinnamon tincture than Angostura. We enjoyed it, at any rate. I also used Santa Fe Spirits Apple Brandy (New Mexico's finest).
Mookie’s Avatar Mookie
21st September at 23:38
This was really fantastic. I opted to go with a lower proof rye (Woodford Reserve) to pair with the 40%abv calvados. I also decided to sub cocchi instead of opening a new bottle of carpano antica, but now that I've seen the original recipe uses cinnamon tincture instead of angostura I guess I have to give this one another shot sooner than later.
Cameron Carter’s Avatar Cameron Carter
8th December 2024 at 19:59
A wonderful reason to buy Strega!
Brett Luttrell’s Avatar Brett Luttrell
8th October 2024 at 04:52
Just an FYI... Jeffrey's recipe actually calls for 2 dashes of cinnamon tincture instead of Angostura:
https://jeffreymorgenthaler.com/autumn-leaves/
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
8th October 2024 at 13:07
Thanks, Brett. I've added a note above.
David Selle’s Avatar David Selle
4th September 2024 at 16:22
Another winner from Jeffrey Morganthaler! I don't think I've had a bad recipe from him. His Flannel Shirt and Norwegian Wood cocktails are great fall drinks too.
Nikolaus Linder’s Avatar Nikolaus Linder
5th December 2024 at 20:01
Just tried Norwegian Wood -- you are right :)
John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
4th September 2024 at 13:42
Retrying and even better the second time. Definitely going in the favourites. Depth, sweetness and spice.
John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
14th August 2024 at 13:51
Glad I hung out till I had a bottle of Strega- it’s subtle but really makes this. Truly autumnal flavours. I’d be tempted to flame the orange twist next time to suggest bonfires. Could also potentially work with cognac… thinking of my recently acquired bottle of Courvoisier vsop which is quite spicy and looking for some suitable friends to mix with… !