Name: Old Poblano
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 1½ ounces aged rum; 1 ounce dark chile liqueur; ⅛ teaspoon citrus bitters; Strip of lime peel

Why This Recipe Works

First, we replaced the bourbon in our classic Old-Fashioned recipe with aged rum, which has a nuanced complexity from its time spent in oak barrels, often featuring slightly smoky or vanilla aromas or even raisiny notes. With that style of rum as our base spirit, we suspected that ancho chile liqueur would be a good flavor complement. Ancho chiles, which are dried poblano chiles, bring a subtle, smoky, slow-burn spiciness when infused into a spirit, as compared with a green chile like jalapeño, which has a grassier, cleaner, slap-your-face heat. Our tasters confirmed that ancho was an excellent choice. The ancho liqueur provided a balancing sweetness to the rum while at the same time contributing a welcoming earthy-fruity warmth thanks to the dried chiles. Citrus bitters and a lime peel expressed over the top added a bright element to the finish.

Before You Begin

We prefer to use our homemade Ancho Chile Liqueur here; however, a store-bought dark chile liqueur will work, too.

Instructions

Add 1½ ounces aged rum, 1 ounce dark chile liqueur, and ⅛ teaspoon citrus bitters to mixing glass, then fill three-quarters full with ice. Stir until mixture is just combined and chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain cocktail into chilled old-fashioned glass half-filled with ice or containing 1 large ice cube. Pinch lime peel over drink and rub outer edge of glass with peel, then garnish with lime peel and serve.