By Dr. Elixir
Photography by Justin Negard
As the seasons change, it’s nice to switch things up in the cocktail glass, too. The transition from summer to fall usually means shifting from lighter spirits to richer, warmer flavors. And with a fresh batch of homemade orgeat syrup (which is made from almonds) on hand, the inspiration was there: Why not swap the usual rum for Kentucky bourbon?
Thus, the Mai Tucky was born—a seasonal twist on the classic Mai Tai, with blood orange, orgeat, sage and the unexpected depth of cocoa and coffee bitters. Even my partner, who never likes bourbon, enjoyed this drink.
– Dr. Elixir
Ingredients
Serves two.
4 oz. Kentucky bourbon
2 oz. blood orange juice
2–3 oz. orgeat syrup, to taste
4 drops of a cocoa & coffee bitter, or 2 drops of each bitter
4 fresh sage leaves
Ice
Directions
Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled generously with ice. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to thoroughly chill and combine the ingredients.
Fill the glasses with fresh ice. Rub the rims with a sage leaf (one per glass) to release its aroma, then strain the cocktail into the glasses.
For a finishing touch, make a small slit about three-quarters of the way up the remaining sage leaves and place each one over the rim of a glass.
Take a moment to enjoy the layered aromas before your first sip.
This recipe was created by Dr. Elixir and edited by Gia Miller. Photography was captured with Panasonic Lumix optics and edited in Adobe Creative Suite.
This article was published in the September/October 2026 edition of Connect to Northern Westchester.
For more recipes by Dr. Elixir, click here.
