Ingredients

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• 2.5oz of Bourbon or Rye

• 1oz of Christmas Spice Simple Syrup

• 1/4 tsp of Vanilla

• 4 dashes of Bitters

• Garnish: Luxardo Cherries, Orange Twist

• Optional Garnishes: Cinnamon Sugar Rim, Slice of Blood Orange

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Add first four ingredients into a mixing glass, add ice, then stir. Strain into a rocks glass with one large rock, and garnishes.  If doing the cinnamon sugar rim, be sure to rim your glass first with an orange slice or honey, then dip in cinnamon sugar before filling with ice and your cocktail. 

 

**If you like your drinks less sweet, only use a barspoon of simple and add more if needed. For these, I wanted a prominent spice flavor, so I used one ounce.

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**For the Christmas Spice Simple Syrup: 

• Add 1 cup of water to a small sauce pan with 1 cup of brown sugar, three cinnamon sticks, eight whole cloves and one star anise (if you'd like, I always add a spoonful of honey to the pot, too).  Bring to a boil, then lower the temperature and let simmer for about ten minutes (I usually keep the lid on the pan until it has 3-4 minutes left, then I take the lid off).  Strain the mixture into a container and store in the fridge for up to a week.  

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Enjoy!