One of my all-time favorite apple cocktails is the Stone Fence, a classic that we featured over three (!!) years ago. It’s a pretty straightforward mix of rye and apple cider that very probably played an important role in (drunk) American history, giving Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys the liquid courage to storm Fort Ticonderoga in 1775. Did I mention I was a history major in college? Anyway. It’s a solid drink but it lacks a certain flourish, so here’s a slightly updated version. – Andrew

Rum Stone Fence

1 oz Dark Rum
1/2 oz Jamaican Rum
1 oz Apple Cider
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 Cinnamon Bark Syrup
2 dashes Angostura Bitters

Combine all your ingredients in a shaker filled two-thirds with ice. Shake well and strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. Garnish with an apple fan and enjoy!

The substitution of rum for whiskey – which is totally in keeping with this drink’s history, since New England was once a great center of rum distilling – and introduction of the cinnamon syrup and bitters turns this drink into something like a hybrid of the original’s rustic feel and a modern Tiki drink. A fun, apple-rich Sour cocktail.

The apple fan is a beautiful and easy-to-make garnish for a lot of drinks. Thinly cut three or four slices of apple, then pierce them on a diagonal with a toothpick or cocktail pick. Balance the cocktail pick on the rim of the glass; it helps to pierce the apple slices about halfway up to help balance the garnish.

(Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, where we’ve been posting our experiments before they make their way onto this column! Instagram has become probably the best resource out there for anyone interested in learning more about cocktails; we found the recipe that inspired this post on the feed of @fredericyarm, a bartender in Boston.)

Glassware by Liquorary

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper