Cocktail Name: The Ironwood Reserve

Glassware: Double Old-Fashioned (rocks) glass

Ingredients:

• 2 oz high-rye bourbon (aged 8+ years for spice and depth)
• ½ oz Tawny Port (adds a soft, nutty sweetness)
• ¼ oz Cherry Heering (for a hint of dark cherry complexity)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 dash orange bitters
• Flamed orange peel (for garnish)
• Luxardo cherry (for garnish)
• Large clear ice cube

Mixing Instructions:

1. Chill your rocks glass while preparing the cocktail.
2. In a mixing glass, combine bourbon, Tawny Port, Cherry Heering, and bitters.
3. Add ice and stir gently for 20–25 seconds until perfectly chilled and slightly diluted.
4. Strain over a large clear ice cube in the chilled rocks glass.
5. Express the oils from an orange peel over the drink, then flame it lightly for aromatic intensity and drop it in.
6. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry on a cocktail pick.

Backstory / Inspiration:
The Ironwood Reserve was inspired by the heart of a quiet Appalachian forest in autumn, where the air carries the warmth of fallen leaves and the hint of a distant campfire. The cocktail balances the rugged strength of bourbon with the subtle elegance of port and cherry, a nod to the resilience and refinement of those who forged paths through the American frontier. The flamed orange peel represents the flicker of a lantern in the woods, while the Luxardo cherry is the sweet reward waiting at the end of the trail. This is a drink meant to be sipped slowly, reflecting on the strength, patience, and beauty found in both nature and craftsmanship.