5 Best Spirits to Sip this Autumn (That Aren't Bourbon)

As the weather and landscape change with the seasons, so does what we eat and drink. Brighter, fresher dishes give way to recipes featuring richer, more substantial tones. Flavors of apple, pear, and maple highlight the change. These might be some of the most popular, but there are so many more - ginger, salted caramel, cranberry, clove…the list goes on. 

When picking an elixir to wrap up the day or start the evening, consider choosing a spirit that will heighten your enjoyment of the season. With so many great options widely available, it’s easy to make the most of fall.

Here are 5 spirits to sip this autumn. 

Applejack

An American original, applejack is a domestic take on the classic French brandy Calvados. Unlike its European counterpart, applejack is made using freeze distillation, also known as “jacking”. Originally, hard apple cider was left outside in barrels in the winter. The water content would freeze, creating a cap of ice that floated on top of the alcohol. In the morning, the ice was removed and the now-distilled spirit was bottled. The higher alcohol content packed a punch, but the beverage was sweeter and more approachable than its French cousin. 

Apple brandy and applejack taste quite similar, with the exception of the touch of sweetness the applejack provides. Many producers choose to age their applejack in used bourbon barrels, which adds hints of complimentary flavors such as vanilla and caramel. 

One of the best applejack producers is Laird & Company. Located in Scobeyville, New Jersey. They are America’s oldest distiller, dating back to 1698 when Alexander Laird immigrated from Scotland and began distilling for friends and family using the only fruit in abundance locally, apples. 

Served over ice, applejack is perfect for wrapping up a chilly evening in front of a fireplace. It can also be mixed into a wide variety of cocktails. One of the most authentic recipes for applejack is the Laird Applejack Jack Rose. Named for the applejack and grenadine providing its signature pink color, this delicious cocktail is tart and sweet with a wonderful apple finish. For a more sophisticated experience, try an Applejack Old Fashioned. 

Tuaca

With its vanilla-forward flavor and pleasant sweetness, this delicious liqueur has been a favorite in Italy for centuries. According to legend it was created to honor Lorenzo de Medici, who quite enjoyed drinking it. Centuries later the recipe was lost, although the history books aren’t certain for exactly how long. In 1938, brothers-in-law Gaetano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa resurrected the recipe and began producing it again in Tuscany. The name “Tuaca” was given to the spirit, a portmanteau of their last names. 

Today, Tuaca is produced in Louisville, Kentucky. As with many old spirits, the precise recipe remains a secret. It is known that the base of blended Italian brandies is aged for up to 10 years, then blended with vanilla, citrus essence, and spices. In the glass, Tuaca is richly flavored, with unmistakable hints of citrus and butterscotch leading to a warm, spicy finish. 

Tuaca can be enjoyed simply over ice, or stirred into hot cider or coffee. It’s also right at home in egg nog and cocktails. Try some in a Tuaca Cream Punch or Apple Pie Cocktail. 

Allspice Dram

Made with allspice berries, this deeply-flavored liqueur is an outstanding addition to your autumn cocktail arsenal. Also known as pimento dram (because allspice berries grow on pimento trees, the same pimentos that are stuffed into olives.), this rum-based spirit has exotic, dark spice flavors that are essential to tiki drinks and chilly-weather cocktails. 

Allspice dram first came to Europe from Jamaica at the start of the 20th century, where it became popular in cocktails like the prohibition-era Lion’s Tail. To make allspice dram, the berries are first dried, then left to soak in rum for an extended period of time. Once the flavor is extracted, the now amber-colored spirit is sweetened and bottled. 

St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is an excellent example of the original, Jamaican style. Whether mixed into a cocktail, stirred into iced coffee, or even used in a marinade for jerk chicken, this is one of the most versatile bottles you can have for your home bar. 

Because the flavor of allspice dram includes hints of cinnamon and nutmeg, it’s a natural partner for rum and similarly barrel-aged spirits like bourbon and even old tom gin. Add a splash to egg nog or a Hot Toddy. For a turn-of-the-century experience, make a batch of Winter Cocktails and enjoy allspice dram the way it was first served.  

Pommeau

Pommeau, a blend of apple brandy and fresh apple juice from Normandy, France, first gained popularity in the 70s amongst the region’s apple farmers. A process of slowing fermentation, called mutage, was used on their best juice to coax out the most flavor possible. To prevent the alcohol content from lessening as it aged, the local apple brandy Calvados was added, creating what became known as Pommeau de Normandie. A favorite aperitif among farmers, it first became commercially available in 1981. 

Pommeau begins with the creation of Calvados, a distilled apple brandy requiring at least a year of aging. Once completed, the Calvados is blended with freshly-pressed apple juice in a ratio of two parts juice, and one part brandy, and aged for a further 18 months before bottling. 

Famille Dupont has been making Pommeau, and other apple brandies, in the heart of France’s Pays d’Auge region since 1887. Today, 3rd generation producer Etienne Dupont continues the family tradition. Having studied distillation techniques in nearby Cognac, Etienne was behind the creation of the Pays d’Auge A.O.C. recognized today. 

Pommeau is usually served as an aperitif before a meal, although the sweeter flavor and lower alcohol content make it an excellent choice for after-dinner cheese plates, especially those featuring the local specialty, Camembert. If appetizers are on the menu, enjoy Calvados as the locals do, with a plate of freshly-shucked oysters or the flavorful Omelette Vallée d’Auge, made with cream, butter, apples, and Calvados. Be sure to slightly chill the glass first to get the most from this delicious autumnal spirit. 

Homemade Infused Spirits

One secret to great cocktails is packing as much flavor into the glass as possible. Using spirits infused with flavor is an effective way to spruce up a recipe without adding syrups or juices that might dilute the final product. Creating your own infused spirits is a great way to add just the flavor you’re looking for.

Maybe it’s an Old Fashioned made with pumpkin-infused bourbon or a spiced pear vodka and tonic. Add apple and cinnamon steeped in aged rum to a pitcher of egg nog or punch for a memorable holiday party sipper. The combinations that can be made are endless. 

Making infused spirits at home is simple and easy. Choose a base spirit, add the ingredients with the desired flavors, and let it steep for a period of time. Recipes calling for high-proof alcohol (100 proof or higher) can typically be aged at room temperature, but check whether refrigeration is needed or not. 

When you’re picking the base alcohol, consider what flavors would work best with the liquor’s natural personality. Plantation Rum’s Barbados 5-year aged rum’s rich, woody personality and hint of sweetness is perfect for flavors like vanilla bean, almond, and cherry. Sipsmith’s London Dry gin (a NY International Spirits Competition Double Gold winner in 2022) has bright, crisp tones that are right at home with citrus peel and black peppercorn. 

Also consider how you will be using the final product. If Bloody Marys are on the menu, consider infusing the vodka with basil or celery, natural partners for the tomato juice. If margaritas are in your future, adding jalapeño and lime peel to the tequila will bring a sassy flavor to the party.