Ingredients
- 3 ounces Coconut-infused bourbon
- 1/4 ounce Apple Brandy
- 1/4 ounce spiced almond demerara syrup
- 1 dash Bitters
- Dried apple slice Garnish
Instructions
- Add the coconut-infused bourbon, apple brandy, spiced almond demerara syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until well-chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a dried apple slice.
Notes
*Coconut-infused bourbon:
Toast 3 1/2 tablespoons coconut flakes over medium heat for 5 minutes or until slightly golden. Combine the flakes with a 750-mL bottle of bourbon and place in a hot water bath at 145°F for 2 hours. Remove from hot water bath, and place in an ice bath until cooled. Strain into a quart container and freeze for 24 hours, remove all solids, and rebottle.**Spiced almond demerara syrup:
Combine 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons demerara sugar and 7 tablespoons water in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons sliced almonds, 1 teaspoon cinnamon bark and 1 pinch ground cloves. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, allow to cool and strain out solids. Refrigerate between uses.Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Normandie Old Fashioned is a craft-cocktail variation on the classic Old Fashioned, named for the Normandy region of France whose Calvados apple brandy is one of the build's signature notes. The cocktail rose with the post-2010 craft-cocktail revival in the US, when bartenders started swapping the rye for unusual base spirits.
It sits in the modern Old Fashioned family with the Oaxaca Old Fashioned (mezcal), the Pineapple Old Fashioned, and the Maple Old Fashioned. All four use the Old Fashioned bones (spirit, sugar, bitters, ice) and swap one element for something off-axis. The Normandie picks coconut-infused bourbon and apple brandy.
Best ordered at a quiet cocktail bar in autumn, when apples are in season and bourbon weather lands. Not a brunch cocktail and not a beach cocktail.
What it tastes like
Coconut on the nose from the infusion, apple in the middle from the brandy, deep bourbon warmth on the finish. The spiced almond demerara is the bridge: it ties the coconut and the apple together with cinnamon-and-marzipan notes.
Around 32 percent ABV after stirring with ice. Sits between a glass of port and a neat whisky in strength. One drink is a real drink; two is a slow evening.
The technique
Add three ounces of coconut-infused bourbon, a quarter ounce of apple brandy, a quarter ounce of spiced almond demerara syrup, and a dash of bitters to a mixing glass with ice. Stir for fifteen to twenty seconds.
Strain into a chilled rocks glass over a single fresh big cube. Garnish with a dried apple slice. To make the coconut-infused bourbon: add a half cup of toasted coconut flakes to a 750 ml bottle of bourbon, steep for two days, strain through cheesecloth.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The coconut-infused bourbon
- Use
- A 90 to 100 proof bourbon (Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Knob Creek).
- Skip
- Smoky Scotch. Wood notes fight the coconut.
- Why
- The bourbon is the spine. The coconut infusion gives it the tropical lean that distinguishes the Normandie from a standard Old Fashioned. Higher-proof bourbons hold the coconut better than 80-proof.
The apple brandy
- Use
- Calvados, Laird's Applejack, or Boulard.
- Skip
- Apple-flavoured liqueur. Different sugar curve.
- Why
- Apple brandy is what gives the cocktail its name. A quarter-ounce pour is enough to add the apple note without overwhelming the bourbon. Calvados is the canonical pour.
The spiced almond demerara
- Use
- Demerara syrup with toasted almond and a cinnamon stick steeped overnight.
- Skip
- Plain simple syrup. Loses the spice element entirely.
- Why
- The syrup is the bridge between the coconut and the apple. The demerara adds molasses notes; the almond and cinnamon provide warmth that ties the two main flavours.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Normandie Old Fashioned, stirred
- Three ounces coconut-infused bourbon, a quarter ounce apple brandy, a quarter ounce spiced almond demerara, a dash of bitters, stirred over ice and strained over a fresh big cube.
The smoky build
- Normandie, with mezcal
- Replace half an ounce of the bourbon with a smoky mezcal. The smoke combines with the coconut and the apple in an autumn-bonfire direction.
The Aussie summer build
- Normandie, on the rocks long
- Build the same ingredients in a rocks glass with crushed ice instead of a single cube. Top with two ounces of soda water. Drinks lighter and cooler for warmer weather.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Plain bourbon plus a teaspoon of coconut cream stirred in. The infusion gives a cleaner profile but the substitution works.
A quarter ounce of cognac plus a teaspoon of apple juice. The cocktail loses the apple-brandy bite but keeps the apple note.
Plain demerara syrup with a few drops of orgeat and a dash of cinnamon bitters. Different sweetness curve but in the right shape.
Three or four standard cubes work. The single big cube is for slow dilution; standard cubes drink faster but still drinkable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Normandie Old Fashioned?
Three ounces of coconut-infused bourbon, a quarter ounce of apple brandy, a quarter ounce of spiced almond demerara syrup, and a dash of bitters, stirred over ice and strained into a rocks glass over a single big cube.
How strong is a Normandie Old Fashioned?
Around 32 percent ABV after stirring with ice. Sits between a glass of port and a neat whisky in strength.
What does it taste like?
Coconut on the nose, apple in the middle, deep bourbon warmth on the finish. The spiced almond demerara ties the coconut and apple with cinnamon-and-marzipan notes.
Why is it called the Normandie Old Fashioned?
Named for the Normandy region of France whose Calvados apple brandy is one of the build's signature notes. The cocktail is a craft-bar take on the classic.
How do I make coconut-infused bourbon?
Add a half cup of toasted coconut flakes to a 750 ml bottle of bourbon. Seal and steep at room temperature for two days. Strain through cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Will keep three months refrigerated.
Can I use Calvados or Applejack?
Either. Calvados is the more traditional pour for the Normandy connection; Applejack is the easier-to-find American substitute. Both work in equal measure.
Should I shake or stir?
Stir. This is an all-spirit cocktail. Shaking would aerate and cloud the drink. Stir for fifteen to twenty seconds in a mixing glass over good ice.
What kind of bitters?
Aromatic bitters (Angostura) is standard. Apple-cinnamon bitters or a black walnut bitters can both push the cocktail in interesting directions.
What glass should I serve it in?
A short, heavy rocks glass with a single big cube. A coupe works for a martini-style pour without ice but loses the slow-dilution character.
What other cocktails are similar?
An Oaxaca Old Fashioned, a Pineapple Old Fashioned, a Maple Old Fashioned, and a Vieux Carre. All four use the Old Fashioned bones with one element off-axis.
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