Smooth & Spicy
flavorcamp
February 15, 2025
A bold and complex winter sipper, Smooth & Spicy layers rich, nutty black walnut liqueur with warming banana oleo, accentuated by cocoa bitters and a hint of Maldon salt. Built around Reifel Rye, its deep toffee and spice notes shine, offering a perfectly balanced contrast between sweet and savory. This cocktail is a cozy fireside indulgence for those who crave both richness and refinement.
Recipe: Emma Osmond (Kitchener, ON)
Photo: Reece Sims
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The inspiration behind this cocktail, as explained by bartender Emma Osmond, “my inspiration for this cocktail is driven by the flavours in this rye, using black walnut liqueur to compliment the vanilla, toffee and toasty pear. Balancing, & wrapping the flavours of sweet and spice together, banana oleo and finishing off with some cocoa bitters & maldon salt to season. This strong smooth sipper will indulge the salty sweet, rich, warming tipple I crave in the winter.”
Smooth & Spicy
Difficulty: ModerateFlavor Camps: Fruity, Boozy, Nutty
Ingredients
1.75 oz Reifel Rye
0.5 oz Black Walnut Liqueur
0.5 oz Banana Oleo*
2 dashes Angostura Cocoa Bitters
2 dashes Maldon Salt Tincture (1:5)**
Garnish: Orange Zest
Directions
- Stir Reifel rye, black walnut liqueur, banana oleo, cocoa bitters, and maldon salt tincture to chill and dilute
- Strain into a chilled nick and Nora glass.
- Express orange oil, and use as garnish twist.
Notes
- *Banana Oleo:
Peel 3 very ripe bananas
Add banana peels, and equal parts sugar into a zip lock bag, or jar. Use a gram scale to measure 1:1. Seal and allow sugar to liquify overnight. Once sugars have dissolved, add a 1/4 cup of hot water to loosen residual sugars from the bag/container, and strain liquid from the peels. Let cool before using. - **Maldon salt tincture: 20 grams Maldon salt, 80 grams water. Stir to dissolve.
