Woodfire Grill's Wassail

1 oz. Rhum Agricole
1 oz. Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy
1 oz. Mulled Apple Cider Shrub (recipe below)
½ oz. white port
½ oz. lemon

Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Strain into cocktail glass. Garnish with zest of lemon. At Woodfire Grill, Blake Morley gives the glass a rinse with a nice peaty scotch (such as Compass Box’s “Peat Monster” or Ardbeg) to give the cocktail a bit of smoke.

Mulled Apple Cider Shrub:
4 sticks cinnamon
2 Tbsp whole clove
1 small nub fresh ginger
Zest of 1 orange
1 Tbsp espresso beans
1 cup Laird’s Apple Brandy
1/2 cup St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram
3 cups sugar
3 cups water
1.5 cups apple cider vinegar

The shrub needs to be heated to a rolling boil then lowered to a simmer for about 20 minutes.

Recipe shared by Atlanta’s Woodfire Grill Bar Manager Blake Morley.