How To Give Your Bourbon Drink A Cozy Touch Of Fall

As spirits go, bourbon is already a pretty darn autumnal selection. Nuanced options abound, but bourbon's frequently detected woody notes and threads of caramel and vanilla are often associated with the season. Bourbon can feel as cozy as a snugly cinched trench coat, and its color generally lands within the range of similarly cinematic fallen leaves. If one could crown a fourth-quarter pour, bourbon would run away with both that and the sash. But these crisp, golden months are fleeting, so why not gild the lily — er, mash bill — with an even more topical taste.

Bourbon meets its fall flavor match with the apple. The fruit, too, blooms in many forms, including plenty of apple varieties that you might have never even heard of. The historically tempting botanical also flaunts an array of calendar-relevant shades, and its various prepared forms — popping up in pies, ciders, cloaked in caramel, or submerged for bobbing — also firm up around this time of year. And even a whisper of apple in your bourbon can make it festive enough for your next fête.

Good news for aspiring bootleggers: You can infuse bourbon with apples at home incredibly easily. This is even a great use case for your cheaper bourbon varieties, so you can save the good stuff for unadulterated sipping. Grab at least a quart-sized Mason jar or other wide-mouthed, lidded container, slice a few apples and stack 'em in, and top with the booze to fill. You should be able to fit most of a standard-sized (750-milliliter) bottle. Seal and let sit in your pantry, larder, or other cool, dark place for a couple of weeks before you strain and enjoy.

Aspiring mixologists, instead, can whip up a quicker fix. Bourbon-spiked cider is as close to a classic as many mixed drinks can come, and a cinnamon stick and maybe a piece of star anise send it closer to the fancy cocktail category. You can also take inspiration from established tipples like the hot toddy, which typically adds hot water, honey, and a bit of lemon to your bourbon. Swap the water with apple tea for potentially the lowest lift riff on these high-reward ingredients.