Merry Cherry Old Fashioned using The Pathfinder
/A recipe for that bottle of The Pathfinder under your tree
This recipe started out as a twist on a boozy recipe from Knudsen Family juice, which I first saw posted in mocktail community On The Mocks in 2022 and I pulled up again to see if it would work with The Pathfinder. The original mocktail recipe definitely required some tweaking, since the original non-alcoholic bourbon that was used changed formulation and doesn’t work in this recipe so I had to find another one.
After some experimenting, this turned out to be a beautiful holiday mocktail but it’s not really an old fashioned - it’s more of a punch flavour and consistency. Regardless, this is definitely one to put on rotation year round - not just at the holidays!
What is the Pathfinder?
The Pathfinder is a non-alcoholic spirit distilled from hemp and layered with botanicals. It first appeared at Life on Mars bar in Seattle in 2021, but soon spread to others and became a cult favourite around the city. It’s no accident that it then experienced meteoric growth outside of Seattle. The three founders of The Pathfinder are ex-beverage brand guys with experience in global branding, on-premise sales and cannabis.
What speaks louder than experience and branding though is taste, and The Pathfinder is indisputably one of the best non-alcoholic spirits in the category.
What does The Pathfinder taste like?
The Pathfinder Hemp & Root is kind of wild - in the best way. It tastes like someone took a hike through the Italian alps and bottled it. It’s got this earthy, rooty vibe with a hint of smoke, almost like a cozy campfire. There’s a little ginger kick, some herbal bitterness, and just enough sweetness to balance it out. It’s definitely not trying to be a gin or whiskey and that’s good because it’s really its own thing. If you like drinks that feel complex and grown-up without trying too hard, the Pathfinder really scratches that itch.
Choosing the RIGHT non-alcoholic whiskey bourbon
This is a very good case study in how not every non-alcoholic spirit works in every recipe. You have to have a variety on hand sometimes to find the best option. This can be expensive, but that’s why I try and recommend the specific zero-proof spirits bottles for each recipe so you can find the recipes for the bottles you have on hand.
For this drink, The Pathfinder actually mixes really well with the flavours in a non-alcoholic whiskey bourbon because the vanilla and smoke are a nice complement to the bitters in The Pathfinder. I first tried this recipe with a) Drink NKD non-alcoholic whiskey and b) Free Spirits bourbon, but it didn’t really work because the whiskey bourbon flavours didn’t stand out in the mix. My third try was with Bare Zero Proof whiskey bourbon and it was actually SO GOOD. Bare Zero Proof has a smoky vanilla flavour that blends so nicely and it’s a touch sweet so you really don’t need any additional sweetener other than the tart cherry juice. I highly recommend using this one!
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 oz tart cherry juice
2 oz The Pathfinder
2 oz Bare Zero Proof non-alcoholic bourbon
5-6 healthy dashes Angostura aromatic bitters (or All The Bitters alcohol-free option)
Cinnamon stick & cherry (for garnish)
**IF you find it too bitter, a tsp of simple syrup or maple syrup will tone it down a bit
Preparation
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
Stir until chilled.
Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a maraschino cherry on a cocktail pic.
Merry Cherry Old Fashioned Mocktail
This twist on a classic cocktail is perfect for the holidays, or anytime year round you want to cheeky spin on a classic drink!
Ingredients
- 1 oz tart cherry juice
- 2 oz The Pathfinder hemp spirit
- 2 oz Bare Zero Proof non-alcoholic bourbon
- 5-6 healthy dashes Angostura aromatic bitters (or All The Bitters alcohol-free option)
- Cinnamon stick & cherry (for garnish)
- **IF you find it too bitter, a tsp of simple syrup or maple syrup will tone it down a bit
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick or a maraschino cherry on a cocktail pic.
