Harvest Moon

About the Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon is a stirred autumn cocktail built primarily on Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey, layered with Lillet Blanc, apple brandy, and Green Chartreuse, then strained into a chilled coupe with an orange twist. Apple and orange notes dominate the nose, while the rye and Chartreuse bring warm spice and herbal depth underneath. To build it, stir the bitters, Lillet Blanc, Black Rye Whiskey, apple brandy, and Green Chartreuse together with ice until well chilled, then strain into a chilled coupe and finish with an expressed orange twist. The stir keeps the drink clear and silky, which suits its role as a slower, contemplative sipper rather than a quick shaken cocktail.

Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey is the leading spirit here at 1.5oz, roughly three times the volume of the apple brandy that joins it, so while the brandy contributes real fruit character, the rye remains the dominant base. This recipe layers Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey with a domestic apple brandy in a supporting role, and the rye’s spice, built through the distillery’s PureBlend process of separate grain distillation and barrel-by-component blending, gives the drink its structural backbone against the apple and Chartreuse’s sweeter, more herbal notes. Harvest Moon is a natural fit for a Thanksgiving or fall dinner table: roast turkey, roasted squash, apple pie, cranberry sauce, and pecan pie all echo its autumnal flavor profile. It’s a strong choice for a holiday cocktail hour, served in small pours given its spirit-forward strength, and it makes an easy make-ahead batch cocktail since stirred drinks like this one hold well pre-diluted in the refrigerator until service.

Keep the Lillet Blanc chilled once opened, as it’s a fortified wine rather than a spirit and will lose its freshness on the shelf faster than the whiskey or brandy will. Because it stacks whiskey, brandy, and a fortified wine together, it drinks stronger than its light color might suggest, so enjoy it slowly and always drink responsibly.

Harvest Moon is a stirred autumn cocktail built primarily on Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey, layered with Lillet Blanc, apple brandy, and Green Chartreuse, then strained into a chilled coupe with an orange twist. Apple and orange notes dominate the nose, while the rye and Chartreuse bring warm spice and herbal depth underneath. To build it, stir the bitters, Lillet Blanc, Black Rye Whiskey, apple brandy, and Green Chartreuse together with ice until well chilled, then strain into a chilled coupe and finish with an expressed orange twist. The stir keeps the drink clear and silky, which suits its role as a slower, contemplative sipper rather than a quick shaken cocktail.

Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey is the leading spirit here at 1.5oz, roughly three times the volume of the apple brandy that joins it, so while the brandy contributes real fruit character, the rye remains the dominant base. This recipe layers Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey with a domestic apple brandy in a supporting role, and the rye’s spice, built through the distillery’s PureBlend process of separate grain distillation and barrel-by-component blending, gives the drink its structural backbone against the apple and Chartreuse’s sweeter, more herbal notes. Harvest Moon is a natural fit for a Thanksgiving or fall dinner table: roast turkey, roasted squash, apple pie, cranberry sauce, and pecan pie all echo its autumnal flavor profile. It’s a strong choice for a holiday cocktail hour, served in small pours given its spirit-forward strength, and it makes an easy make-ahead batch cocktail since stirred drinks like this one hold well pre-diluted in the refrigerator until service.

Keep the Lillet Blanc chilled once opened, as it’s a fortified wine rather than a spirit and will lose its freshness on the shelf faster than the whiskey or brandy will. Because it stacks whiskey, brandy, and a fortified wine together, it drinks stronger than its light color might suggest, so enjoy it slowly and always drink responsibly.