Several years ago, when the Utah Mixologist was just getting interested in cocktails rather than “mixed drinks”, a visit to DrinkStreet.com in search of a Bourbon cocktail that would be a nice way to use some of the bottle of Jack Daniels® that was in the pantry (this was before there was a real bar in the house) turned up something called the Orange Robert that had been contributed by Bob Powers. The Orange Robert seems a little more like a Tiki drink made with Bourbon than a cocktail, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying one; it’s easy to make and well worth the little effort it takes. A word of warning: the DrinkStreet recipe is most certainly a double. The recipe given below is toned down a notch in the direction of moderation. You can make this cocktail in a highball glass, but it looks classier in a wine glass.
Remember, September is National Bourbon Month. There are some very nice “special price adjustments” on several good Bourbons at the Utah State Store this month. The Orange Robert is not a good use for your good sipping Bourbon (save that for up, or on the rocks, or perhaps in a Manhattan). There is one budget Bourbon marked down this month: Ezra Brooks (CS# ) is only $10.99. The mixologist has never tried it, if you have, please post your experiences as a response to this article. As mentioned previously, three of my favorites are marked down this month: Woodford Reserve® (CS# 022216) is available for $30 ($4 off), Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey (CS# 017086) is available for $22 ($5 off), and Makers Mark (CS# 019476) is available for $22 ($4 off). Other Bourbons marked down include Blanton, Eagle, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams. Bourbon Month looks like a good time to visit your local state store. As always, be sure to call ahead to check for availability.
Orange Robert
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 ounce Amaretto
2 ounces Bourbon (Jack Daniels works well)
2-4 ounces Orange Juice
Pour Bourbon, Amaretto, and Bitters into a mixing glass half full of cracked ice and stir well to chill. Fill a pre-chilled highball glass or wine glass ¾ full of ice (crushed is good). Strain the mix into the serving glass and top with orange juice. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.