Churchill's Breakfast

Apparently Sir Winston Churchill had a glass of whiskey and a cigar with breakfast every day. As a tribute to the man for whom my daughter and son-in-law's college at Cambridge is named, here is a delicious cocktail with a Canadian touch.  It's also kind of fun to make. Is it a breakfast drink?  You decide!

Ingredients

2.5 oz Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye

1 oz cold brew coffee (I make mine with the Hario Cold Coffee Brewer)

.5 oz Maple Syrup

2 dashes Black Cloud Charred Cedar Bitters

i piece cinnamon bark

1 cinnamon stick

Method

Use your kitchen torch (we don't own one so my hubby used the tiger torch!) to light one end of your cinnamon stick on fire. Once it starts burning, immediately remove it from the flame and invert your rocks glass over the smoking cinnamon. While it is nicely coating the inside of your glass with smoke, combine the rye, coffee, maple syrup and bitters in a cocktail shaker over ice.  Gently shake the ingredients (a vigorous shake will lead to a frothy mix and you don't want that). Use a sharp knife to shave off some small splinters from the cinnamon bark. Put the glasses upright and sprinkle in the cinnamon shavings. Top with mix from the shaker. Don't add ice. Add charred cinnamon stick as garnish and serve.

Alternate Method

Use hot coffee, eliminate the bitters, and warm all ingredients in the microwave for an excellent hot toddy.

Accompaniments

Some candied bacon is an excellent breakfast-like touch. Or some British cheese with rustic bread. And maybe a cigar, if you're a big Churchill fan.

Thanks to Heather for this suggestion!