A dry (some may want to up the sugar) spirit-forward riff on a classic Old Fashioned, with rye whiskey providing spirituous spice and calvados appley notes...
This is certainly a solid, distinctive drink with Dad's Hat 90 proof (and Laird's BiB), both in flavor and autumnal aroma. Compared to the dark sugar and orange bitters in an American Trilogy, the cane syrup and Peychaud's just aren't cutting it for me. I have no orange peel on hand though. Maybe that's what's missing.
I made this with Clear Creek Apple Brandy and with a honey syrup, and it was excellent. I used lots of the Creole bitters, probably 5 dashes, and liked it.