Fruit-infused old fashioned

For my birthday a few months ago, two of my closest friends got me gifts that involved booze and colorful language. They live in different states and did not coordinate their gifts, so I'm a little concerned about what this says about me! 😅 

Anyway, my friend Amanda sent me a very cute infused-booze set from Camp Craft Cocktails. Kudos to Camp for a really beautiful and creative gift. It came with a cute painted mason jar filled with dried orange slices, dried cherries, and dried apricots, plus a sugar cube infused with bitters. Just add your favorite whiskey, and in a couple of days, you have an old fashioned with a unique hint of fruit. I've gotten a little obsessed with making my own version, and it's my new favorite drink. It's super easy, inexpensive, and customizable! 

My grandparents in Louisiana always had a decanter full of cherry bounce: fresh cherries simmered with a lot of sugar, then mixed with bourbon. This drink takes me right back to when I used to sneak tastes of cherry bounce during visits!

My favorite version is below. Use this as a jumping off point to create your perfect concoction!

In a pint-size mason jar, add 2 T sweetened dried cherries, 2 sweetened dried orange slices or dried orange segments, 12 drops of Angostura bitters, and fill with whiskey. A traditional old fashioned involves a sugar cube or simple syrup, so sweetened dried fruit takes the place of simple syrup here to add the perfect amount of sweetness.  Any basic whiskey is fine, no need to use the fancy stuff. I love our local 4 Sprits bourbon whiskey. Screw on the lid and shake. Let infuse for a 2-3 days in the fridge, then shake and serve. No need to strain. I just pour the liquid off the top of the jar, leaving the fruit to continue to infuse. You might enjoy adding a couple of pieces of boozy fruit in your glass as a garnish to nibble on. This will keep indefinitely. The longer it sits, the fruiter and sweeter it gets, so let it sit a few more days if it is not sweet enough for you. Likewise, it may get too sweet for you after infusing for a while. Just add some more whiskey to adjust!