The leaves are slowly changing from vibrant shades of green to rich hues of red, yellow, and brown. The days are getting shorter—the nights, longer. Temperatures are dropping. Apparently, summer left the job the exact moment her shift was over, and fall clocked in right on time. We’ll miss the sunny carefree vibes, but there’s plenty of goodness worth embracing as we enter cozy season, like chunky knit sweaters, silk presses that won’t frizz, delicious soups and hearty stews, and the warming flavors of fall cocktails.
If summer is the season for refreshing spritzes, then fall is all about the spice. It is the time of year when seasonal ingredients like apples, pears, pumpkins, and pomegranates shine, and cocktails featuring spicy flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom take center stage. Additions like maple and honey round out the bitterness and tartness, creating balanced cocktails with depth and finesse.
“Summer is all about bursts of very sweet fruit. Fall is different. It’s about fruits that have a lot of flavor, but you need to work to bring those flavors out. I call them the stone fruits of the season,” says Maya Grant, a mixologist and founder of Fusion Mixology in the Cayman Islands. “We’re still seeing herbs, peppers, and citrus coming in, like oranges that will ripen just in time for Christmas.”
The key to delicious sips in the fall is leaning into the local ingredients of the season. “You’d be surprised at what’s available,” says Grant, noting that there’s nothing wrong with using things found in the grocery store freezer section “if you can’t find it fresh.”
Grant also advocates for experimentation and recommends that at-home mixologists utilize unconventional flavors often. What that means is going beyond the usual pumpkin found in beverages during this time of the year. “Pumpkin is king, yes, but in the Caribbean, we also look to fruits like sweetsop. It has a similar creamy texture, but it brings more of the Caribbean character into a fall cocktail,” says Grant.
Other methods of crafting creative fall cocktails could focus on the apples of the season and the characteristics they exude when combined with nuts and spices. “Last year, we created Fall Into Fusion, which featured a spice syrup we developed using cinnamon, cardamom, almonds, and caramelized apples. It was a warm, aromatic tea-inspired blend that really captured the essence of the season,” says Grant. “Guests loved it, and it became a perfect example of how we can showcase seasonal, flavorful cocktails in the fall.”
While sourcing items like sweetsop may require a trip to the nearest Caribbean market, there are plenty of other nontraditional ingredients that are perfect for fall cocktails that are readily available during this time of year. In most cases, these are items that can be used in exchange for the standard fruit or spice ingredient used in classic cocktails. Squash purées can add a velvety texture and earthy flavors to shaken and stirred drinks mixed with tequila, rum, or bourbon. Pawpaws, guavas, and persimmons can add a spicy tropical flair to drinks like the Gin Fizz, Collins, and Old Fashioned, while cranberry adds a splash of tartness and festivity to margaritas and Palomas.
“One of my favorites to play with is the Gingarita. My partner is a gin lover, so we created it using gin, triple sec, fresh lime, and the syrup of your choice,” says Grant. “For fall, we’ve been making a sweetsop Gingarita. Instead of a vibrant spiced rim, we tone it down with a blend of salt, sugar, and cinnamon to bring in those fall flavors. It’s simple, refreshing, and something we can sip all day long.”
And don’t forget about the warm sensations of a hot cocktail. Autumn welcomes chilly-weather classics like the hot toddy and spiked hot chocolate. For those looking for toasty beverages that highlight fall fruits, search menus for warm apple or pear ciders mixed with apple brandy, whiskey, spiced rum, or vodka. Fall is also the season for mulled wine, which is typically made with red wine. Full-bodied varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, or Zinfandel work great here, gently heated with orange slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and star anise along with a touch of brandy or Cointreau and a bit of honey, agave, or maple syrup. The season also marks the time for warm teas spiked with spirits of your choosing.
“Fall is also when I lean heavily on teas. In Cayman, we have so many blends of herbs and fruits that can become the base for cocktails. A hot toddy-inspired drink with local teas, citrus, and a bit of rum can be perfect for the season,” says Grant.
Fall is a time for cozy, creative exploration, and there are plenty of flavors to enjoy throughout the season. Below, Grant shares the recipe for her favorite fall cocktail.
Sweetsop Gingarita
Ingredients
1.5 oz Gin
0.75 oz Triple sec
0.75 oz Fresh lime juice
0.75 oz of your favorite syrup
In this case, the syrup is sweetsop. For those who may not be able to find sweetsop locally, paw paw or guava make great substitutes. Both still give that lush, tropical character while keeping the fall-inspired depth we’re aiming for.
To make the sweetsop syrup, remove the middle of the fruit, then season it with cinnamon, nutmeg, and almond powder. Sweeten to your preferred taste with a touch of brown sugar to bring out that caramelized fall flavor. Reduce it on the stove with some water. Strain, and it’s ready to mix.
Add the ingredients into a mixing cup with ice. Stir. Strain over ice.