Eakin begins by stirring the ice around in his serving glass until it is clear. He uses ice from Cold Standard, the Dallas bespoke ice company founded by Eakin's friend and star mixologist in his own right Máté Hartai. The ice, whi
In a separate mixing beaker, Eakin adds two parts Knob Creek® Bourbon.
Eakin's goal with his version of the Old Fashioned is to highlight the qualities of the Knob Creek® Bourbon through creating just the right balance of sweeteners and bitters.
For his bitters, Eakin adds 8-10 drops of a tobacco version that his friend makes in Seattle. The bitters, made with sweet leaf tobacco, gives the drink a warm, southern feel that complements the oak in the Knob Creek® Bourbon.
He adds 1/4 part, about a bar spoon, of house-made cinnamon syrup. The sweet syrup, which is meant to balance out the bitters, is made from equal parts cinnamon stick and sugar.
Eakin stirs the mixture for about 40 revolutions. According to Eakin, this is the perfect amount for a proper cocktail.
Before pouring the beverage into the glass, he empties the water accumulated in the ice glass.
Using a bar strainer, he strains the cocktail over the tempered ice.
To get the citrus oils in the drink, he squeezes the oil from an orange peel over the drink.
To bring home the warm, home-baked feel of the drink, he inserts four cloves into the orange peel to create a drink topper.
With this flag of sorts, Eakin is able to deliver the citrus and baking flavor directly to his customer's nose.