Jackie Zykan: Maître Liquoriste + Perfumer + Herbalist

By Jackie Zykan

With over 20 years of experience in beverage alcohol, and a love affair with the natural world, I am delighted to share some of Kentucky’s finest pours alongside fresh, local, and seasonal botanicals. 

September is bourbon heritage month, which can leave our palates craving something a little different once October rolls around. We can still pay tribute to the incredible plant that makes our bourbon so delicious (and no I am not talking about corn). Oak is the primary contributor of flavor in Kentucky bourbon, but is also revered as being a spiritual protector and wise elder of the plant world across many cultures. My love affair with this magnificent tree extends far past the cocktail, so much so my perfume brand (ODUOAK) is centered completely around its celebration. Oak is all around us, providing shelter for wildlife, ample shade, leaf compost for our soil, and during this season- acorns in droves. It is said the heavier the acorns drop in the fall, the harsher the upcoming winter will be. Such a quintessential example of nature in balance. Luckily, our recipe uses a very conservative amount of acorns in order to respectfully leave plenty for wildlife. The efforts to create the recipe though are much more involved. Fair warning, there are many steps to the acorn syrup preparation. Luckily, if spending a weekend preparing a syrup for a cocktail doesn’t sing to you, our featured Kentucky product is just as delicious without it. 

Featured Kentucky Product: Prova Amaro Castello; Prova Spirits, Louisville, KY

Italian spirits have co-piloted many classic bourbon cocktails, so it makes perfect sense that in the epicenter of our native spirit someone would be inspired to make these ingredients closer to home. This nano-distillery located in the crux of Louisville’s Nulu and Phoenix Hill neighborhoods is a progressive example of Kentucky’s distilling scene. Prova offers a diverse selection of quality minded products which pay tribute to the founder’s family heritage. Much like many of our beloved bourbon brands, Prova seeks to honor the past by celebrating traditional processes in ways resonant with the present.

Featured Kentucky Flora: Quercus palustris (Pin Oak, Swamp Spanish Oak) 

Yes. You can eat acorns. But there’s a catch. These little treasures require processing to strip them of their extremely high tannin content. These compounds act as a survival mechanism for the tree, providing protection from predators and disease. Even oak barrel staves see their share of tannin stripping before use in a process known as “seasoning” wherein stave wood is left to the elements to oxidize and leach out excess tannins. The result is a softer, sweeter profile in the aged spirit with less acidity and bite. This is an interesting consideration when choosing a whiskey. Though not the only factor that impacts “smoothness” of flavor, choosing a bourbon that was aged in staves seasoned for extended periods of time can be a useful compass when seeking a less aggressive pour. A cooperage well known for long seasoned staves is Zak (located in Larue County, KY), so if you are digging into the details of what goes into your pour, look for products matured in their barrels if it’s a smooth sip you crave. 

It is important to note that any acorns from any type of oak will do for this recipe. While creating this piece, a nearby pin oak readily contributed an abundance of acorns, so this recipe primarily used fruit from that particular tree. I would advise to leave white oak acorns resting where they lie if you are collecting in forested areas. Due to harvesting pressures for its use in the whiskey barrel industry, I tend to leave these gorgeous specimens as undisturbed as possible. Personal preference. 

Acorn and Amaro Cocktail 

• 2 oz Prova Amaro Castello

• ¾ oz Acorn Syrup

• 4 oz San Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water 

Garnish Options: orange twist, apple slices, rose petals 

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a tall ice filled glass. Garnish with as desired. 

Non-Alcoholic Variation: The recipe can be made using 1.5 oz syrup + 4 oz sparkling mineral water. The syrup can also be used to sweeten tea, on pancakes or ice cream, anywhere you’d like to welcome a flavor twist. 

Acorn Syrup 

As always, be mindful to clearly identify what you are foraging. Any acorns will do but be sure to use freshly ripened (light brown) acorns without holes, cracks, dark spots, or signs of decay/pests. 

Ingredients: 

• ¼ cup acorn nut meat (approximately 1.5 - 2 cups whole acorns) • 5 whole cardamom pods

• Water, for repeated boiling and leaching acorn tannins

• 1 cup fresh pressed apple juice

• ¼ cup light brown sugar

• ¼ cup sweetened condensed coconut milk

• ⅛ tsp rose water

• ⅛ tsp salt 

Directions: Crack open acorns and reserve yellow meat inside. Using a mortar and pestle, crack open cardamom pods. Combine both in a small pot with just enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, then strain liquid out. Repeat this process until the liquid no longer turns brown after heating. Spread the strained solids on a sheet of parchment paper and toast in a 200 F oven for 1 hour. Remove and allow to cool slightly. In a narrow tempered glass (I like to use a Pyrex measuring glass) add toasted solids and apple juice. Using an immersion blender, mix until acorn and cardamom particulate is about the appearance of coffee grounds. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer. Congrats! You’ve just made an apple-acorn “milk”! But wait, there’s more! In a saucepan combine liquid with brown sugar and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, add rose water and salt, then pour the mixture into a heat-safe glass. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes. Once the top layer solidifies, crack a hole in the surface and pour the lower layer of liquid syrup into a separate vessel. I suggest straining this through a very fine mesh to remove any small fatty solids. 

Getting your steps in 

Admittedly, this is the most labor intensive syrup I have ever featured in this article. The result is a complex and delicious multipurpose syrup, and each step is necessary to make sure the bitterness of the tannins is tamed. Repeat boiling and straining is effective for this, and the use of a fat wash with the sweetened condensed coconut milk as well as the addition of salt act as an insurance policy to really tone the acid down. 

When foraging wild plants always be completely certain of identification and follow the rule of “when in doubt, don’t”. Only take what is needed, leaving plenty for our native pollinators and fauna. Avoid harvesting from areas which are exposed to pesticides or other chemical applications. The statements in this article are for entertainment purposes only and are not meant to diagnose, treat, or medically advise. Please drink responsibly, you are loved by many.