African Flower
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 32.1% ABV ∙
The African Flower is a stirred bourbon cocktail rounded out with amaro and brown crème de cacao, finished with a swath of orange peel. Warm bourbon leads, a bitter amaro edge and a hint of cocoa sweetness underneath, closing dry on orange oil — a slow, contemplative nightcap.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 60 mlAmaro 5 mlBrown crème de cacao 5 mlOrange bitters 2 dashesOrange peel 1 swath
- Strain into the ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice)
- Garnish with an orange twist
Tips
- Stir with large cubes for 20-25 seconds over ice; this bourbon-heavy build needs full chilling but only moderate dilution to stay strong.
- Measure the amaro and crème de cacao carefully since each is a small modifier meant to accent, not overpower, the 60 ml bourbon base.
History
The African Flower is credited to bartender Becky McFalls, who created it around 2008 at Little Branch, a cocktail bar in New York City affiliated with the Milk & Honey group. The recipe was later documented and popularized through Sam Ross's Bartender's Choice app, which drew on drinks from Milk & Honey and its sister bars.
