American Trilogy

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Cocktail History

The American Trilogy is a modern cocktail that was created by Richard Boccato and Michael McIlroy at Little Branch in New York City, New York. Named for Elvis Presley's song, the recipe is an Americana-themed reinvention of the classic Old Fashioned that intentionally uses USA-made ingredients for familiar yet deeper and more complex flavors.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. I used Heaven Hill Distillery Rittenhouse Rye.

Apple Brandy: This is a type of brandy made with apples, pears, spices, sugar, and alcohol. I used Laird’s Applejack.

Demerara Syrup: This is a sweetener made with Demerara sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Orange Bitters.

Orange Peel: This the peel of an orange that has been cut into a strip.

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Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Brown-ish orange color

• Aroma: Citrus and whiskey spices

• Taste: Sharp spicy rye flavor rounded out with fruity apple and rich, dark sweetness

• Finish: Bright citrus notes

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "In my opinion, the classic Old Fashioned is already a recipe fit for cooler weather, and this variation takes that characteristic up a notch. The taste was as I expected—rye with a hint of apple, sugar, and citrus. I think I'd like the American Trilogy better with bourbon because I found the rye to be a touch too spicy. Bourbon is also my favorite whiskey though. Overall, this was a great Old Fashioned riff that would be great for fall and winter sipping."

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.