Dashfire Bitters have become mainstays at cocktail bars all over the Twin Cities. Bartenders know them like second nature, but consumers can be a little more hesitant.
Thus the first bottled cocktail from Dashfire, Bourbon Old Fashioned No. 001, debuts this week. Egbert has taken a deep dive into his botanical library to craft a cocktail you’d be hard-pressed to replicate on your own.
“It’s not a three-part old fashioned, it’s a nine-part,” he laughs. Those parts: bourbon, sugar cane juice, a blend of four Dashfire bitters (J. Thomas, Barrel-Aged Vintage Orange, Old Fashioned, and Star Anise), plus two special extracts (vanilla and chicory) and cherry juice.
This old fashioned hits all the classic notes—aromas of cherry and spice, a spirit-forward sip with a warming finish. Star anise is the deft ingredient, lending a clarion top note to a grown-up spice profile that separates it from other bottled cocktails that err on the sweet side of things. It’s 35% ABV and easy to sip neat, though we prefer a couple rocks to open up the aroma even more.
This old fashioned is destined to be the first in a series of Dashfire bottled cocktails. Egbert muses about perhaps changing up the spirit with the seasons—rum, brandy, and mezcal old fashioneds are all potential follow-ups in the series. He’s also intent on bottling other classic cocktails, so perhaps a Dashfire Negroni or Martinez is in our future.
Bourbon Old Fashioned No. 001 will be available in 750-milliliter bottles and should retail for around $30. Look for it at select retailers—including South Lyndale Liquors, France 44, Ale Jail, and Thomas Liquors—in the next few days. It should enjoy a wider release in November.