Staggerac

About the Staggerac

Anchored by Timber Creek Florida Whiskey, the Staggerac is a stirred, spirit forward cocktail built in the same family as the classic Sazerac, using Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters, a sugar cube, a lemon peel, and an absinthe rinse in a chilled rocks glass. It is a strong, aromatic sipper meant to be taken slowly. The whiskey’s grain sweetness and warm spice sit at the center of the drink, with the two bitters adding layers of anise, clove, and dried fruit that build complexity without masking the spirit itself. The absinthe rinse, coating the glass rather than being poured in, contributes a fleeting herbal top note on the nose that fades as the drink opens up, a classic move borrowed from New Orleans cocktail tradition.

Because Timber Creek’s whiskey is distilled and aged on the Crestview farm as part of the distillery’s PureBlend process, it carries enough grain character to stand at the front of a strong, low dilution cocktail like this one. To build it, muddle the sugar cube with the bitters in a mixing glass, add the whiskey and ice, and stir until chilled. Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discard the excess, then strain the cocktail into the glass and finish with an expressed lemon peel. It is a fitting match for rich, smoky food like steak bites, smoked almonds, or aged cheddar, and it holds its own next to bacon bites or roasted pecans on a shared appetizer board.

Presentation counts for a lot with a drink this spare: use a single large, clear ice cube if one is available, since a clean block melts slowly and keeps the rocks glass looking sharp through the whole time it takes to finish the cocktail. Because the Staggerac is served with minimal dilution, sip it slowly and pace your evening accordingly.

Anchored by Timber Creek Florida Whiskey, the Staggerac is a stirred, spirit forward cocktail built in the same family as the classic Sazerac, using Peychaud’s and Angostura bitters, a sugar cube, a lemon peel, and an absinthe rinse in a chilled rocks glass. It is a strong, aromatic sipper meant to be taken slowly. The whiskey’s grain sweetness and warm spice sit at the center of the drink, with the two bitters adding layers of anise, clove, and dried fruit that build complexity without masking the spirit itself. The absinthe rinse, coating the glass rather than being poured in, contributes a fleeting herbal top note on the nose that fades as the drink opens up, a classic move borrowed from New Orleans cocktail tradition.

Because Timber Creek’s whiskey is distilled and aged on the Crestview farm as part of the distillery’s PureBlend process, it carries enough grain character to stand at the front of a strong, low dilution cocktail like this one. To build it, muddle the sugar cube with the bitters in a mixing glass, add the whiskey and ice, and stir until chilled. Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discard the excess, then strain the cocktail into the glass and finish with an expressed lemon peel. It is a fitting match for rich, smoky food like steak bites, smoked almonds, or aged cheddar, and it holds its own next to bacon bites or roasted pecans on a shared appetizer board.

Presentation counts for a lot with a drink this spare: use a single large, clear ice cube if one is available, since a clean block melts slowly and keeps the rocks glass looking sharp through the whole time it takes to finish the cocktail. Because the Staggerac is served with minimal dilution, sip it slowly and pace your evening accordingly.