Generally, cocktail mixes are something we have avoided—with good reason. But then right around the time the craft cocktail culture began taking off in earnest, we met Joe and MariElena Raya, longtime bartenders turned entrepreneurs who had begun creating their own line of mixologist-level cocktail mixes called Bittermilk, and we were forced to reconsider that long-held position.
Their No. 1 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Old Fashioned Mix, in particular, was an immediate hit with the Van Winkle clan. And like Bittermilk’s original mix, the exclusive Pappy & Company version is made with simple quality, well-balanced ingredients (bittering agents like gentian root and cinchona bark along with burnt sugar, spices, and a bit of orange peel), but ours is aged in retired Pappy Van Winkle bourbon barrels, creating a distinct flavor profile unique to Pappy & Company. Fair warning: This mix is super concentrated, so a little bit goes a long way. Best with aged spirits.
