Take Your Leftover Eggnog Liquor and Make Old Fashioneds

A pair of easy, split-base cocktails using bottles you might already have on hand.

Did you make this year’s eggnog? Unless you made a really, really large batch, you probably had some liquor left over.

If so, then here’s something else you can make with your remaining eggnog booze. 

Both of the eggnog recipes we looked at were built on spirit pairs. For a high-proof nog, we used Wild Turkey 101 bourbon and Smith & Cross Jamaican rum. For a lower-proof mix, we used E&J brandy mixed with Appleton Estate signature rum. 

Both of these pairings make great eggnog. As it turns out, they make excellent, easy Old Fashioneds as well. 

For those who are new to the concept, these are split-base Old Fashioneds, which is to say they are structured like conventional Old Fashioneds, with two ounces of liquor plus a few dashes of bitters and syrup—but they use multiple spirits as the liquor base. You’re not putting more liquor in your Old Fashioned; you’re making a unique spirit blend that gives you a more complex flavor arc. 

For the higher proof combo, we’ll tilt the balance slightly toward the bourbon, since the Smith & Cross rum is so aggressively funky.¹ This drink has a big, robust flavor that tastes of coffee, chocolate, and peanut butter, almost like a holiday cookie.

High Proof NogFashioned

• 1 dash orange bitters

• 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic bitters

• 1 fat (slightly overflowing) tsp maple syrup

• ½ ounce Smith & Cross Jamaican rum 

• 1 ½ ounces Wild Turkey 101 bourbon 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.

2. Add ice, then stir until chilled, about 10-15 seconds. 

3. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. 

4. Garnish with a strip of orange peel. 

For the lower-proof combo, we’ll combine the two bottles equally. You’ll get distinct vanilla notes from the brandy, and some toffee, caramel, and fruit notes from the rum. This one is also quite holiday friendly.  

Low Proof NogFashioned

• 1 dash orange bitters

• 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic bitters

• 1 fat (slightly overflowing) tsp maple syrup

• 1 ounce Appleton Estate Signature Jamaican rum 

• 1 ounce E&J XO (or VSOP) brandy 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.

2. Add ice, then stir until chilled, about 10-15 seconds. 

3. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large ice cube. 

4. Garnish with a strip of orange peel. 

Dogs Not Nogs

1. This drink might remind you of the Scotch whisky Old Fashioned we made earlier this year, which used Smith & Cross as an accent.