Thanksgiving is our kind of holiday: a long table, a full house, and a fire going somewhere nearby. If you're hosting this year, these four Lost Woods 80 cocktails are easy to make, easy to batch, and built to sit right next to turkey, stuffing and pie.
Lost Woods 80 is our calmest whiskey: an 80 proof American Single Malt, distilled from 100% malted barley at Lake of the Woods Distilling, our own distillery in Baudette, Minnesota. Rounded malt, toasted cereal and a gentle apple and stone fruit sweetness make it a natural match for fall flavors like maple, cranberry, pear and cider.
1. Harvest Table Sparkler
A light, festive drink that won't weigh anyone down before dinner, and the easiest one to batch for a crowd.
- 1 1/2 oz Lost Woods 80
- 1 oz pear nectar
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 oz pure maple syrup
- 2 oz dry sparkling wine, to top
- Thin pear slice, to garnish
Shake the whiskey, pear nectar, lemon and maple with ice. Strain into a flute or wine glass and top with sparkling wine.
Batch for 8: stir together 12 oz Lost Woods 80, 8 oz pear nectar, 4 oz lemon juice and 2 oz maple syrup, then chill. Pour about 3 oz into each glass and top with sparkling wine.
2. Cranberry Bog Smash
Tart, bright and a nod to the cranberry bogs of the upper Midwest. It doubles as a welcome drink while the turkey rests.
- 1 1/2 oz Lost Woods 80
- 1 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz pure maple syrup
- Rosemary sprig and a few fresh cranberries, to garnish
Shake with ice and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with rosemary and cranberries.
Batch for 8: stir together 12 oz Lost Woods 80, 8 oz cranberry juice, 4 oz lemon juice and 4 oz maple syrup. Chill, then pour over ice.
3. Deer Camp Reward Cider
Saved for when the hunting is done. Once the guns are unloaded and cased and everyone is back at camp, this is the warm reward for a long day in the woods. It's just as good for the football game and the last hour around the fire.
- 1 1/2 oz Lost Woods 80
- 5 oz hot apple cider
- 1/4 oz pure maple syrup (optional)
- Cinnamon stick and a lemon twist, to garnish
Warm the cider until steaming but not boiling. Add the whiskey and maple to a mug, pour in the cider and stir with the cinnamon stick.
For a crowd: keep a pot of cider warm on low with a few cinnamon sticks, and add whiskey to each mug as you serve so everyone can choose their own.
4. North Woods Old Fashioned
The after-dinner drink. Maple stands in for sugar and makes the malt taste even richer next to a slice of pie.
- 2 oz Lost Woods 80
- 1/4 oz pure maple syrup
- 2 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
- Orange peel, to garnish
Stir the whiskey, maple and bitters with ice for 20 to 30 seconds. Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass, express the orange peel over the top and drop it in.
Hosting tips
- Batch ahead. Mix the sparkler and the smash the night before and keep them in the fridge. Add bubbles and ice only when you pour.
- Go big on ice. One large cube keeps an Old Fashioned cold without watering it down.
- Something for everyone. Keep extra cider, cranberry juice and sparkling water out so non-drinkers can make the same drinks without whiskey.
- Pour one neat. For a slow sip with dessert, try Lost Woods 88, our premier sipper.
Grab a bottle before the big day
Lost Woods 80 is on shelves at 50+ Minnesota liquor stores and poured at 45+ bars and restaurants. Find a bottle near you, or order online through Ace Spirits, which ships to 40+ states.
From all of us at Lost Woods, happy Thanksgiving. As always, 1% of every sale goes back to the land. Please enjoy responsibly, never drink and drive, and make sure everyone has a safe ride home. You must be 21 or older to purchase.