Autumn Sweater

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (29 ratings)

Photographed in an Urban Bar Fluet Old Fashioned 34cl

Ingredients:
1 oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
12 oz Amaro (e.g. Averna)
12 oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
12 oz Maple syrup
1 dash Fee Brothers Turkish Tobacco Bitters
1 dash Orange Bitters by Angostura
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of clove-studded orange zest twist.
  3. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  4. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).
  5. Garnish with a clove-studded orange zest twist.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Review:

As the evenings draw in, it's time to put the fire on and hunker down for winter. Instead, grab an Autumn Sweater to warm body and soul.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe by Brad Thomas Parsons, published in his 2011 book Bitters: A Spirited History of a Classic Cure-All. Brad's original recipe calls for Urban Moonshine Maple Bitters in place of tobacco bitters.

Nutrition:

One serving of Autumn Sweater contains 213 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 25.74% alc./vol. (25.74° proof)
  • 19.5 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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John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
14th April at 15:45
Based on the previous comments, probably a good thing that I didn’t dissolve the maple syrup properly and it solidified on the ice in the mixing glass (caveat emptor, much). Followed Justin’s lead i used chocolate bitters approx 7 drops. This is broadly a very successful flavour combo and will be forgiving of wide experimentation. I used Luxardo abano in place of Averna.
Justin Aniello’s Avatar Justin Aniello
10th February at 00:33
Halved the maple syrup, was a little too sweet the first time. Had to sub in chocolate bitters for the tobacco which worked very well to add a subtle earthiness.
Miguel Perales’ Avatar Miguel Perales
27th November 2024 at 23:41
This was overly sweet for me....and I cut back on the maple syrup to 1/4 oz/7.5 ml. Very unbalanced. Not a repeat for me.
Miguel Perales’ Avatar Miguel Perales
28th November 2024 at 13:18
PS. just noticed a minor misspelling on step 2 of How to make. It says clove "studied" orange zest. May have meant "studded"?
Michael Cronin’s Avatar Michael Cronin
12th October 2024 at 19:58
Very nice. I used Whistle Pig 10 Year Small Batch Rye and double the Nonino in absence of the Averna. I would also back off the maple syrup to 10 ml. Iam fortunate to have found tobacco bitters, but I do wonder how an extra step of smoking the cocktail would work; I plan to try it. This is a keeper.
Melissa Demian’s Avatar Melissa Demian
9th October 2024 at 21:16
I was out of Averna so I subbed in Ramazzotti, which worked very well. Also, 15ml of maple syrup makes it *very* sweet; if that’s not your thing I would take it down to 10 or even 5ml.
5th October 2024 at 22:22
I didn’t have tobacco bitters, so used Dillion’s Extra Special Bitters then added smoke to the glass. Turned out pretty well.
Wilfred’s Avatar Wilfred
5th October 2024 at 08:18
Is smoking the glass with tobacco an acceptable substitute for tobacco bitters?
Frederic D.’s Avatar Frederic D.
5th October 2024 at 22:21
I don't find tobacco bitters to be smoky, to my experience they have more of a humidor quality to them.
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
5th October 2024 at 15:24
Worth a try but flavour quite different.
5th October 2024 at 00:43
Admittedly I didn't make the exact drink as I didn't have the nonino (used cynar instead) and replaced the tobacco bitter with Barkepper Fennel bitters (seemed to match the theme) and it is excellent. I will endeavor to pick up some Nonino before the end of Fall (though it's 30c in L.A. in October right now) and try this again.
Frederic D.’s Avatar Frederic D.
5th October 2024 at 01:48
You might consider switching the Nonino for Montenegro rather than Cynar if you have that available. It's not that close either, but I think it might work well in this drink.
Frederic D.’s Avatar Frederic D.
3rd October 2024 at 23:41
An excellent drink. I used Pikesville rye, and Old Forester Bohemian bitters instead of the Fee Bros. Starts with a sweet, spicy rye, takes a small détour via actual maple flavor, and resolves in orange-y amaro bittersweet. Very, very good and aptly named.