As time slows down to enjoy the holidays, and I sit by our shimmering Christmas tree warmed by our fire. I wanted to share a delicious and easy cocktail recipe – The Old Thymer Cocktail – a lively mixture of warming bourbon, fresh squeezed citrus, and aromatic thyme. I don’t usually love bourbon, but really enjoy this cocktail.

Jump to Recipe

Let’s set the mood shall we? It’s pretty chilly out and you’re hoping for a dusting (or a bit more of snow), you want a warming cocktail that’s festive and easy to make. Look no further! This is a great one to have on a quiet night to read by the fire, a pre-dinner drink before a roast dinner, or perfect to mix up for friends and family over the holidays or winter months.

We can’t take full credit for this one. We are inspired by Bartaco’s Old Thymer Cocktail. You may remember I shared a lunch date we had there and Luke had this fabulous cocktail. I took a sip and was surprised how much I liked the flavors. I’m not a whiskey or bourbon lover but love this mixed with fresh lemon and orange juice. This is how we recreated the taste at home.

Why We Love the Old Thymer Cocktail

Amber colored cocktail in a cut glass tumbler with orange peel and thyme

Luke really loves this because it has a nice smooth flavor – it isn’t too bitter or too sweet. I enjoy the mixture of the added fresh squeezed juices and the thyme.

The other part we love is it is super easy to make. You may need to go to the store to pick up a few things.

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What You’ll Need

We didn’t have everything at home. We needed to stock up on the bourbon and the vermouth.

A Cocktail Shaker
A Cocktail Measure
Bourbon – we used Four Roses Bourbon
Sweet Vermouth – we used Cocchi Vermouth. You only need a little of this. We made the mistake of putting too much the first time we tried mixing the drink and it make it too sweet and too bitter.
Fresh Orange Juice
Fresh Lemon Juice
Thyme for garnish
Orange Peel – for garnish
Cut Glass Tumbler – I always think cocktails look nicer in these types of glasses
Angostura Bitters

Special Tip

If you wipe the rim of the glass with the orange peel it gives a nice taste of citrus with every sip.

We also add fresh ice to the glass when decanting the mixed cocktail into the glasses.

Orange peel and thyme in a bourbon cocktail

Don’t skimp on the thyme it really isn’t a waste of time to add it. The woody and floral notes add to the cocktail.

We hope you enjoy this cocktail. Please let me know if you try it at home. We’d love to hear!

More Cocktails You Might Enjoy

I love mixing cocktails at home. I think it’s because it brings back wonderful memories of bartending in my family’s restaurant. Here’s some favorites:

Easy Painkiller Cocktail
Dark and Stormy Cocktails
Sparkling Cranberry Cocktails
Kate’s Homemade Eggnog (you can spike this to make it a cocktail)
Winter Gin & Tonics

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