Home Fires Cocktail Recipe
Home Fires Cocktail Recipe

Home Fires

This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.

Cocktail History

The Home Fires is an autumn cocktail that was created by author Jassy Davis and was first published in her book Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter. It’s a unique variation of the classic Whiskey Sour that is made with whiskey, almond, citrus, and sherry, the combination of which was inspired by the author’s sister’s favorite spirits and the warmth of a fire in the wintertime.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Eagle Park Distilling Bourbon.

Amaretto Liqueur: This is a liqueur made in Italy with almonds, spices, and alcohol. I used Di Amore Amaretto Liqueur.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Pedro Ximénez Sherry: This is a type of white wine made in Spain with Pedro Ximénez grapes.

Islay Scotch: This is a type of of Scotch whisky made in southern Scotland with with spices, alcohol, water, and malt or grain that has been dried with peat fires. I used Ardbeg 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

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

Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. I used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.

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.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

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

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the KingSeal Bamboo Knot Cocktail Pick Set.

Sale
Barski Champagne Glasses - Flute - Saucer - Belle Coupe - Set of 6 Glasses - Glass Crystal - Glass has Tattoo Design -9 oz Made in Europe
Barski Champagne Glasses – Flute – Saucer – Belle Coupe – Set of 6 Glasses – Glass Crystal – Glass has Tattoo Design -9 oz Made in Europe
Superb lead free crystal for outstanding clarity; Set of 6 in pretty box; 5.3″ H x 3.8″ D; Dishwasher safe for added convenience
$74.94 Amazon Prime
Sale
Godinger Champagne Glasses, Champagne Glass Set, Coupes Barware Glasses - Set of 4, 6oz., Dublin Crystal Collection
Godinger Champagne Glasses, Champagne Glass Set, Coupes Barware Glasses – Set of 4, 6oz., Dublin Crystal Collection
Lead Free Crystal. Set of 4; Capacity 6oz. Dimensions 4.25 x 5 x 2.5. Dishwasher Safe
$20.99 Amazon Prime
200 Count | KingSeal Bamboo Wood Flower Knot Picks, Skewers, 3.5 Inches, Perfect for Cocktails and Appetizers - 2 Packs of 100 Count
200 Count | KingSeal Bamboo Wood Flower Knot Picks, Skewers, 3.5 Inches, Perfect for Cocktails and Appetizers – 2 Packs of 100 Count
These looped knot picks are perfect for serving cocktails, sandwiches and hors d’oeuvres; Spear or pin fruits and veggies to add flair to cocktails and appetizers
$8.99 Amazon Prime

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-09.

Home Fires Cocktail Recipe

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

Appearance: Brown-ish orange color

• Aroma: Peat and allspice

• Taste: Fairly dry flavor with bourbon’s backbone, earthy Scotch and sherry, a hint of nuttiness, and citrus

• Finish: Lingering lemon and savory sherry

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “Of the whiskies, bourbon is my favorite, so I assumed I would like this drink quite a bit when I saw it in the book. The only ingredient that had me raising an eyebrow was the Islay Scotch. Not much of the stuff is used, but even so, I usually find its peaty taste too distracting in cocktails. I was wrong in this case! I would say sipping on the Home Fires is an excellent way of dipping your toe into the smoky spirit. You get a hint of the Scotch’s taste, but it lets the rest of the ingredients shine too. This gets a ‘Yes, I would make it again’ from me.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter by Jassy Davis.

Sale
Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn and Winter
Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn and Winter
Hardcover Book; Davis, Jassy (Author); English (Publication Language); 144 Pages – 09/01/2020 (Publication Date) – HarperCollins (Publisher)
$10.89 Amazon Prime

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-09.

Home Fires

The Home Fires is an autumn cocktail that was created by author Jassy Davis and was first published in her book Winter Warmers: 60 Cosy Cocktails for Autumn & Winter. It's a unique variation of the classic Whiskey Sour that is made with whiskey, almond, citrus, and sherry, the combination of which was inspired by the author's sister's favorite spirits and the warmth of a fire in the wintertime.

Prep Time 3 mins Assembly Time 2 mins Total Time 5 mins Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 1 Calories: 275 Best Season: Fall

Ingredients

Method

  1. Add whiskey, amaretto liqueur, lemon juice, sherry, Scotch, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.

  2. Shake for 30-45 seconds.

  3. Strain into a cocktail glass.

  4. Garnish with cherry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Expand All:
How do I make this cocktail recipe non-alcoholic?

Use Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Bourbon Whiskey in place of the whiskey, Monin Premium Amaretto Syrup in place of the amaretto liqueur, non-alcoholic sherry flavoring in place of the sherry, Escape Mocktails Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the whisky, and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters to try a mocktail version of this drink.

Rate this recipe

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pin Recipe
Share Recipe
Email Recipe

About The Author

Kendall is the creator of Novel Nightcaps, a mixology blog chronicling recipes she tries from her cocktail book collection.