This drink was inspired by a version I had at Rasa, an Indian restaurant in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. It combines some of my favorite flavors into a warming cocktail that I think is great for this time of year when there’s a chill in the air.

Like any classic cocktail as the word was defined first in print in 1806,¹ there is something sweet (in this case, I made an Indian-spiced syrup), some bitters (Angostura makes sense for this drink), and spirits (I prefer rye, the original Old Fashioned spirit,² though bourbon would work too).

The interesting ingredient, of course, is the spiced syrup. I made it by toasting, grinding and steeping two tablespoons of garam masala in an 1:1 solution of 12 ounces sugar and 12 ounces filtered water. I kept the mixture simmering for about 15 minutes, after which it needs to be filtered. Bear in mind that since you’re creating a syrup, as water evaporates, what’s left in the pan gets sweeter. This is different than simple syrup in which water and sugar are combined just long enough for the sugar to dissolve.

To filter the syrup I turned to my handy chinois, which let not a hint of the ground spices through its fine mesh. No chinois? No worries. Just run the mixture through a paper coffee filter. The syrup should be a beautiful light amber color, the combination of the infused spice essence and a slight caramelization of the sugars in the pan.

Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature then keep it refrigerated in a clean glass jar, ideally one that you rinsed with boiling water beforehand. Since syrups can mold, I added a tablespoon of vodka into the mixture after it had cooled. Generally, syrups like this should last for about a month.

Getting to know Garam Masala

No wonder I think of this cocktail as “warming!” Garam masala, a ubiquitous spice mixture found in so much Indian cuisine, literally translates as “warm spice mix.”

Though good cooks no doubt compose their own, I found a handy prepackaged version of garam masala with whole coriander, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, cloves, cardamom and bay leaves at an Indian grocery store. Subsequently, I found this same mixture is conveniently available from Amazon. Indian cooks call the mixture khada masala when it’s whole like this, grinding it is what makes it garam masala.

Whole spices taste better when you toast them first to draw out natural oils. Before you grind them, roll the spices around in a small pan over medium heat for about three minutes, making sure they don’t burn. From there, I grind them coarsely in a coffee grinder that I’ve set aside just for spices.

Syrups like this that simmer longer than it takes simply to dissolve the sugar can be sweet, so adjust the ratios to your satisfaction. The recipe that follows is how I make mine, including a dash of cayenne pepper, which gives a very nice, fiery kick after each sip.