Macchialina, the rustic Italian gem on Miami Beach helmed by James Beard Semifinalist, Chef Michael Pirolo has rolled a cocktail perfect for the fall. Imagined by the lovely Jacqueline Pirolo, Managing Partner and Beverage Director, The Speck-tacular Now is crafted with house-made speck infused Old Forester, honey clove syrup, and Jamaican #1 Bitters.

The Speck-Tacular Now is a reimagined, more seasnoally-forward version of a classic old-fashioned, but using speck-infused, an Italian style fat wash, Old Forester which is made in house.

Fat-washing is a clever cocktail technique that adds savory flavor to spirits that capture that essence of moving away from fruity, summery cocktails and into the richer, more herbaceous, and spiced flavors of fall that we know and love.

For the Old Forester fat-wash, Jacqueline just adds speck (an Italian cured, smoked meat native to the Alto Adige, a region that straddles Northern Italy and Southern Austriato rubbed down with a cure laced with spices like juniper and bay leaves). Then it is smoked and aged at room temperature. She lets it sit for a few hours, then chills everything in the fridge or freezer until the fat solidifies and can easily be skimmed off. The whiskey retains the flavors of the fat even after the skimming. The technique has since gained popularity around 2007 with the creation of the Benton's Old-Fashioned.

Ingredients:
1 dash Bittercube Jamaican #1 Cocktail Bitters
½ oz. Honey Clove Syrup (50/50 honey/water ratio - 10 whole clove)
2 oz. Speck infused Old Forrester Bourbon

Directions:
Add ice and stir strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.