Old Friend

Darrin Helsel

— 3 min read
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Old Friend
  • 2 oz Bourbon (100 proof or 50% alc./vol.)
  • ¾ oz Cynar
  • ½ oz Bénédictine
  • Stir ingredients in ice for 20-30 seconds, pour into an old fashioned glass over a large rock of ice 
  • Garnish with a flamed orange twist

Happy Friday, friends!

The cocktails on Flavor Notes are driven by many things.

Sometimes they respond to what’s happening in the world—cocktails with context. Other times they’re inspired by new experiences here in Kelowna.

And sometimes, like this one, they’re personal.

Allow me to introduce the Old Friend.

I first encountered this cocktail in J.E. Clapham’s That’s Amaro, where it’s attributed to Matt Dutton of The Cooper Lounge in Denver’s Union Station. At first glance, it reads like an Old Fashioned riff, minus the bitters.

Its simplicity is the appeal: a three-ingredient build balancing bourbon, Cynar, and Bénédictine.

But don’t mistake simple for soft.

This drink calls for a bourbon with backbone–Bottled-in-Bond or higher. The Cynar and Bénédictine are flavor heavyweights; a timid whiskey will disappear. For this build, I’m using Noah’s Mill from Willett at 114 proof. It has the strength to hold the center while allowing the bittersweet and herbal notes to weave around it.

We’ve visited Cynar before–most recently in My Favorite Things. Built from artichoke and a proprietary blend of herbs, it offers caramel, toffee, vegetal bitterness, and earthy complexity. Thankfully, it’s readily available here in Kelowna.

Bénédictine brings honeyed, herbaceous warmth. Long a staple in New Orleans classics, it lends a rounded sweetness that softens edges without dulling character. We last saw it in Ozymandias–and it earns its place here.

This is our first flamed orange twist on Flavor Notes. Expressing orange oils over a lit match gently caramelizes them, muting brightness and introducing a roasted citrus quality. It’s subtle, but transformative–and a perfect companion to Cynar’s darker complexity.

The caramelized orange rises first. The opening sip lands firmly on the bourbon–proof-driven spice layered with caramel and oak. Mid-palate, Cynar’s toffee and earthy bitterness emerge, picking up the baton from the whiskey. Throughout, Bénédictine’s herbal honey threads quietly beneath, eventually stepping forward on the finish to wrap everything in a long, warming embrace.

It’s contemplative and grounded.

Familiar and friendly, but layered.

An Old Friend indeed.

This cocktail posts the same day two dear friends arrive in Kelowna from Portland for the weekend.

My instinct was to cram their schedule with everything Kelowna offers. But no two-day visit can sustain that kind of ambition. Choices had to be made.

These aren’t casual acquaintances.

They were part of our five-person pilgrimage to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 2022–a milestone birthday trip that revealed a latent superpower of mine: experience design.

In February 2022, as the world cautiously reopened, we set dates and committed. I wanted to explore my pandemic hobby–bourbon–at its source.

With only a three-day tasting window, geography ruled. Driving is the enemy of a full tasting day.

Planning distillery visits felt like booking rides at Disneyland. Experiences varied wildly in cost, length, and availability.

Stitzel-Weller alone offered multiple tiers. Buffalo Trace, famously free, was booked solid a year in advance–so we missed it.

Balancing tour availability, transportation logistics, budget, and meal planning, I built a three-day schedule that optimized experience over excess.

Highlights?

  • An unexpected 10 a.m. Old Fashioned at Rabbit Hole.
  • Modjeskas paired with bourbon at Old Forester.
  • The culty egg salad sandwich at Willett.
  • Wax dipping at Maker’s Mark.
  • Bottle filling at Michter’s.
  • And a Pappy tasting courtesy of our Atlanta friend who drove in to join us.

But what made the trip wasn’t the distilleries. It was the shared experience.

With that in mind, I approached this Kelowna visit differently.

Yes, there will be:

But the schedule has space to breathe. Because the real goal isn’t checking boxes.

It’s making memories.

Cocktails anchor moments. Trips mark chapters. And old friends remind you who you’ve been–and who you’re still becoming.

So tonight, I raise a glass of an Old Friend to shared history, intentional experience, and the simple privilege of gathering again.

Cheers. 🍁🥃💖

P.S. Despite being on Okanagan Lake, there will be no canoe dancing this trip. 😜

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