The Story Behind The St-Rémy Appleseed

As part of VinePair’s first-ever Brandy Mixology Challenge, bartenders and mixologists were invited to create an updated brandy cocktail using St-Rémy Signature as the main ingredient. The St-Rémy Appleseed, submitted by bartender Ryan Smith at Austin, Texas's Roosevelt Room, took top honors with its refreshingly sweet and spicy combination of St-Rémy Signature, Jamaican rum, French orange liqueur, and apple caramel syrup, topped with a few dashes of malic acid. As Smith explains, the competition opened up a new world for him when it comes to drink development. “Brandy has a range of qualities that I might have previously overlooked. … It can add a level of flavor or depth to a cocktail and help round off sharp edges, bringing a balance. I look forward to experimenting with them in the future,” he says. 

Served in a Nick & Nora glass, the St-Rémy Appleseed is finished with the flamed oils from an orange peel, and garnished with a purple orinoco flower. 

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ ounces St-Rémy Signature
  • ¼ ounce Jamaican rum
  • ¼ ounce apple caramel syrup*
  • ½ ounce French orange liqueur
  • 3 dashes malic acid

Directions

  1. Combine ingredients in a mixing glass.
  2. Fill glass with cubed ice and stir for 15 seconds.
  3. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass.
  4. Garnish with flamed orange oils and a purple orinoco flower clipped to back of glass.

Rate This Recipe:

(21 votes)

Yield: 1
Updated: 2022-09-27

Apple Caramel Syrup Ingredients

  • 3 large or 4 medium honey crisp apples
  • 9 allspice berries
  • 4 cinnamon sticks
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 cup (by volume) dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cups (by volume) granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons caramel 

Apple Caramel Syrup Directions

  1. Crack allspice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and place in a pot on stove at low medium heat.
  2. Cut apples into quarter pieces and place in pot with brown sugar, place lid on top.
  3. Let apples and spices simmer for about 5-10 minutes while apples release water.
  4. Stir in granulated sugar and caramel, turn burner to low, and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
  5. Once apples are soft turn fire off and transfer contents of pot into Ninja/Blender.
  6. Blend until mixture is pureed.
  7. Strain through a cheese cloth into jar (make sure you squeeze cheese cloth to get all juice out).
  8. Add ¼ ounce of vodka to preserve.
  9. Date mixture.
Ryan Smith's Rémy Appleseed combines a sweet and spicy cocktail flavor with brandy, rum, French orange bitters/liqueur, and apple caramel syrup.

This recipe page is sponsored by St-Rémy Signature.