This drink is from Judge Jr.’s Here’s How from 1927 (or 1928) depending on the edition of the book you track down. It’s a short collection of drinks, where Jr. combines the drink with a quick description and funny little quote. The Applejack Rabbit is described as, “This could really be called the Rabbit punch because it has the same effect“. Despite the equally hokey toast, “Here’s to the national bird – the swallow“, this drink’s modern revival has earned rave reviews from Laird’s for it’s balance, and is definitely a drink you should consider this fall.
Applejack Rabbit
The Applejack Rabbit is a balanced, rich, and bright nuanced cocktail. The apple brandy here provides a surprisingly complex backbone, giving off elements of spiced oak, fresh apples, slight cider notes, and a bit of baking spice. The lemon and orange provide contrasting and melding citrus that doesn’t allow either to dominate. The result is elevating the apple brandy and allowing the maple syrup to add a dark, fall like richness that layers in seamlessly. It’s a really pretty fall drink.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
The Applejack Rabbit is another cocktail that used to be significantly sweeter, calling for equal parts of Apple Brandy and maple syrup. The more modern updates elevate the drink by standardizing the amount of citrus and toning down the sweetness. All that said, I think it’s balanced, but if you find yourself thinking it’s too dry or sweet, adjust the maple syrup accordingly with this in mind.
- Apple Brandy / Apple Jack – We used Laird’s Straight Apple Brandy here. In a pinch you could use their applejack. In the event you can’t find either, look at your local apple brandies. In the event your like us in Ohio, we highly recommend Tom’s Foolery Applejack.
- Lemon Juice / Orange Juice – For best results, use fresh squeezed and avoid anything in a bottle or jar. These will significantly impact the delicate balance of this drink.
- Maple Syrup – We use our local store’s grade A, and we recommend you seek on out that’s local. Make sure they’re 100% pure maple syrup, and not made of sugar and water with coloring by checking the ingredients.
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