Anyone who follows me on Facebook or Instagram knows I’m a serious bourbon fan. I enjoy everything from Garrison Brothers to Blanton’s and I get excited about Pappy. That said, on a recent visit to Treaty Oak’s new ranch in Dripping Springs, I discovered a delicious alternative: their barrel-aged Waterloo Antique gin.
They served the Antique gin in an Old Fashioned and I was surprised by how well it held up. The gin has the depth and maturity of a brown spirit, while finishing with bright botanical notes. It’s an exceptional bottle that’s versatile in cocktails.
I created my own cocktail with the Antique gin and named it The Illusionist — because it tricks the palate into thinking it’s a whiskey-based drink but delivers a surprising botanical twist. It’s essentially a riff on the Old Fashioned that keeps the drink from getting too sweet and lets the spirit shine. Clean tannins from unsweetened tea and a layer of sweet, earthy heat from ancho chile syrup add the magic.
The ancho syrup is excellent beyond cocktails — try it drizzled over ice cream or used to glaze roasted fruit. It’s rich and smoky with a pleasant heat that enhances both sweet and savory dishes.
If I sound like I’m over-describing flavor notes, forgive me — the drink really is that good. If you enjoy a refined adult beverage, The Illusionist is worth trying.
Libations: The Illusionist with Ancho syrup
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- Author: Jess Pryles
Ingredients
Scale
2oz Treaty Oak Waterloo Antique or other aged gin
2 dried ancho chiles, deseeded
1 cup white sugar
1 cup water
1 oz unsweet tea
2 tbsp finished ancho syrup (or to taste)
1 maraschino cherry
Instructions
- To make the ancho syrup: combine the sugar, water and deseeded ancho chiles in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, breaking up the chiles with a wooden spoon as they soften. Strain into a jar and let cool.
- In a shaker or a mason jar with a lid, combine the cooled ancho syrup, unsweet tea and aged gin. Stir or shake to combine.
- Pour the mixture into a tumbler over a large ice cube and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Notes
The ancho syrup recipe makes more than required for one cocktail and will keep for several weeks if stored in a sealed jar in the refrigerator.