“Life starts over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

There’s little better than a seasonal drink: a drink that captures the moods and flavors of the season, that reflects the changing light and complements the weather. For fall, that means darker, richer drinks to match our darkening skies, and, for me lately, lots of spicy flavors that bring back childhood memories of a house filled with the smells of fall baking. So I whipped up a simple syrup that embodies some of the best fall flavors that can easily turn any cocktail into the perfect fall cocktail. Let’s start with an easy one: the Mulled Daiquiri. – Andrew

Illustration by Shauna Lynn for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The Mulled Daiquiri

2 oz Dark Rum
1 oz Lime Juice
1 oz Mulling Spice Syrup*

Combine the rum, lime, and syrup with ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and enjoy.

Mulling Spice Syrup Recipe

1 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cup Water
2-3 Cinnamon Sticks, Broken Up
1 tbsp Nutmeg, Crushed
1 tbsp Allspice
1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
1 tbsp Cloves

Break up the cinnamon sticks and crush the nutmeg with a mallet. Combine the sugar and water over low heat until the sugar is melted, then add in the spices. Simmer for about twenty minutes, stirring frequently so the sugar doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat and let it sit, covered, for an hour. Strain out the spices, bottle the syrup, and refrigerate.

The syrup is rich and dark, and the house smells fantastic while it’s cooking. The resulting rum sour is tart but redolent with baking spices and the rich sweetness of brown sugar. (I’ll confess to overlooking brown sugar – which gets its color and some flavor from molasses – as a cocktail ingredient, but am now a total convert.)

This recipe started out as a lark but might have become my go-to for the season. And the syrup is tremendously versatile, something that you can incorporate into a variety of other drinks – or desserts.

PS – Don’t forget to look for more recipes, techniques, and vintage glassware finds on my Instagram account, @liquorary. You can also find a set of these vintage cocktail glasses in the shop!

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper