The difference between decent and exceptional cocktails often comes down to ingredients most people overlook. While selecting premium spirits gets attention, the cherries, bitters, and syrups that complete your drink determine whether you're mixing something forgettable or memorable. Frank in Winter Park carries the Woodford Reserve cocktail collection from Bourbon Barrel Foods, bringing distillery-quality ingredients to home bartenders.
The Bourbon Barrel Foods and Woodford Reserve Partnership
When Bourbon Barrel Foods partnered with Woodford Reserve in 2012, both brands shared commitment to craft production and Kentucky heritage. Woodford Reserve recognizes that the bourbon experience extends beyond the bottle. The collaboration produced a cocktail and culinary line capturing Woodford Reserve's essence in formats designed for mixing.
This partnership brings distillery expertise to cocktail ingredients. Bourbon Barrel Foods crafts these items in their Louisville facility using processes refined over years of artisan food production, elevating home bartending from hobby to craft.
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries: Beyond Maraschino
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries arrive in deep ruby color, pitted but stem-on, soaked in actual Woodford Reserve bourbon and sweetened with natural ingredients. Handpicked in Oregon, each cherry delivers sophisticated balance of fruit sweetness and bourbon complexity that mass-market alternatives can't approach.
The stem-on presentation makes these cherries functional for muddling and easy to use as garnish. Drop one into an Old Fashioned, and it becomes part of the drink's evolution. Muddle several in a Manhattan shaker, and they release bourbon-soaked flavor throughout the cocktail.
Beyond cocktails, chop them for chocolate desserts where bourbon and chocolate's natural affinity shines. Serve them alongside cheese and charcuterie where their sweetness cuts through rich, fatty flavors. Use them to top vanilla ice cream for sophisticated sundaes.
The Woodford Reserve Bitters Dram Set: Five Essential Flavors
Frank carries the Woodford Reserve Bitters Dram Set with five 10ml drams in a sleek gift box: Aromatic, Orange, Sassafras and Sorghum, Spiced Cherry, and Chocolate. Each bitters brings distinct flavor built on gentian root base.
Aromatic Bitters serve as your foundation for Old Fashioneds and Manhattans. Orange Bitters add citrus brightness without actual juice. Sassafras and Sorghum Bitters bring distinctly Kentucky flavors with molasses-like depth. Spiced Cherry Bitters excel in Manhattans, complementing vermouth's botanical notes. Chocolate Bitters work in bourbon drinks where you want dessert-like richness.
The dram set allows experimentation without committing to full bottles. Try all five flavors, determine which suit your mixing style, then purchase full-size bottles.
Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup: Simplifying the Classic
The Old Fashioned remains bourbon's most iconic cocktail, but traditional preparation requires muddling sugar cubes with bitters, leading to inconsistent results. Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup solves this elegantly. Pour 50ml Woodford Reserve bourbon into your glass, add 10ml cocktail syrup, stir with ice for 10 seconds, and garnish with expressed orange peel.
The syrup incorporates bitters and spice elements that make an Old Fashioned complex, pre-balanced for optimal results. For home bartenders who love the cocktail but struggle with consistency, this syrup provides professional quality without professional skills.
Building Your Home Bar with Frank's Collection
Creating a well-stocked home bar requires more than bottles of spirits. The finishing touches distinguish amateur efforts from craft-quality cocktails. Frank's Woodford Reserve collection provides those essential elements with quality matching your premium bourbon selections.
Start with basics: Woodford Reserve Bourbon Cherries and the Bitters Dram Set. These two items allow proper Old Fashioneds and Manhattans, arguably the two most important bourbon cocktails. Add the Old Fashioned Cocktail Syrup if you make that drink frequently or host gatherings where you'll mix multiple cocktails quickly.
Consider how these products complement Frank's broader collection. The shop carries cocktail books and bar accessories pairing naturally with premium mixers. Browse KREWE sunglasses while planning your home bar. Explore Riddle Oil fragrances to create complete sensory environments for entertaining.
The Craft Cocktail Movement at Home
The past decade saw craft cocktails move from exclusive bars into home kitchens through better access to premium ingredients. When you can purchase the same quality cherries and bitters that high-end cocktail bars use, the gap between professional and home bartending narrows significantly.
This aligns with Frank's mission of making premium, independent brands accessible in Winter Park. Pair cocktail mixing with Frank's entertaining essentials like Chilewich placemats and Hester & Cook paper goods.
Visit Frank at 112 South Park Ave in Winter Park to explore the Woodford Reserve cocktail collection and discover how these ingredients transform your home bartending.
