Welcome Home

The Welcome Home is a sophisticated and spirit-forward cocktail that expertly balances the spiciness of rye whiskey with the fruity depth of apple brandy. Bénédictine adds a layer of sweet, herbal complexity, while Angostura bitters tie all the flavors together. It's a stirred drink, served up, that offers a rich and warming experience perfect for a relaxing evening.
Welcome Home

Preparation

Preparation time: 4 minutes

Preparation time
Difficulty

Drink Classification

The Welcome Home is a modern classic stirred cocktail, known for its complex and spirit-forward character. It falls into the category of drinks that are sipped and savored, similar to a Manhattan or Old Fashioned.

Serving

The Welcome Home is served cold and straight up in a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. It's a potent, spirit-forward drink with a significant alcohol content.
Serving size
Approximately 90 ml / 3 oz (before dilution)
Alcohol content
Estimated 30-35% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Coupe or Nick & Nora
Glass treatment
Chilled

Backstory

Created by bartender Thomas Waugh at the influential New York City bar Death & Co, the Welcome Home is a quintessential modern classic. It first appeared in the bar's first cocktail book and has since become a favorite among cocktail enthusiasts. The name evokes a sense of comfort and warmth, perfectly reflecting the drink's character.
Origin
Created by Thomas Waugh at Death & Co, New York City, USA, in the late 2000s.

Welcome Home

The drink is consistently known as the Welcome Home, with no common alternative names.
Original name
Welcome Home

Characteristics overview

The drink has a spicy, herbal aroma with notes of apple and honey, leading to a complex flavor that is warming and slightly sweet. It has a smooth, silky texture and a long, lingering finish, making it a perfect sipper for cooler weather.
Flavor
spicy, fruity, herbal, complex, slightly sweet, warming
Aroma
rye spice, baked apple, honey, herbs, baking spices
Taste balance
balanced, spirit-forward
Aftertaste
long, warming, spicy, herbal
Fizziness
none, still
Color appearance
deep amber, reddish-brown, clear
Texture
smooth, silky, slightly viscous
Seasonality
warming, autumnal, wintery

Flavor intensity & Experience

The flavor is robust and spirit-forward, with a notable spiciness from the rye and fruitiness from the apple brandy. Sweetness and bitterness are present but subtle, creating a well-balanced, high-intensity sipping experience.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation

Ingredients

This cocktail requires a split base of spicy rye whiskey and fruity apple brandy, with the addition of sweet, herbal Bénédictine liqueur. A single dash of Angostura bitters completes the liquid ingredients.
  • Rye Whiskey45 ml / 1.5 oz
    A bonded (100-proof) rye is recommended for its spice and backbone.
  • Apple Brandy22.5 ml / 0.75 oz
    A bonded apple brandy or a good quality Calvados works best.
  • Bénédictine D.O.M.22.5 ml / 0.75 oz
    An essential herbal liqueur that defines the drink.
  • Angostura Aromatic Bitters1 dash
    Just one dash to round out the flavors.

Ice type

  • Cubed

Mixing equipments

You will need a mixing glass to build and stir the cocktail, a jigger for accurate measurements, a bar spoon for stirring, and a strainer to pour the chilled drink into the glass without ice.
  • Mixing glass
  • Jigger
  • Bar spoon
  • Strainer

Instructions

To make the Welcome Home, combine all liquid ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, stir until chilled, and then strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with an expressed lemon peel.
1. Chill your coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or by filling it with ice water.
2. Combine the rye whiskey, apple brandy, Bénédictine, and Angostura bitters in a mixing glass.
3. Fill the mixing glass with large ice cubes.
4. Stir well for about 20-30 seconds until the drink is well-chilled and properly diluted.
5. If you used ice to chill your serving glass, discard it.
6. Strain the contents of the mixing glass into the chilled serving glass.
7. Take a lemon peel, twist it over the drink to express its oils, and then drop it into the glass as a garnish.

Garnishing

The drink is garnished with a lemon twist. The oils should be expressed over the surface of the drink to add a bright, citrus aroma.
  • Express the oils from a lemon peel over the drink and drop it in.

Dietary Information

This cocktail is alcoholic and should be considered vegan, vegetarian, and free from dairy, eggs, and caffeine. It is generally considered gluten-free as distilled spirits do not contain gluten proteins.
✓ Contains alcohol
✓ Caffeine-free
✓ Dairy-free
✓ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✓ Gluten-free
✓ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly

Nutrition information

The Welcome Home is a moderately caloric cocktail, with most of its calories coming from the alcohol and sugar content in the Bénédictine liqueur. It contains around 10-12 grams of sugar per serving.
Calories
Averagely 220-250 kcal / 920-1046 kJ
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Averagely 10-12 g
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Averagely 10-12 g
Sugar level

Occasions

This is an ideal cocktail for a quiet evening at home, as an after-dinner digestif, or for serving at a sophisticated cocktail party. Its warming profile makes it particularly well-suited for autumn and winter months.
  • Evening sipper
  • Autumn/Winter drink
  • After-dinner drink
  • Cocktail party

Pairing suggestions

This spirit-forward cocktail pairs well with savory and rich foods. Consider serving it with a platter of aged cheeses and charcuterie, or as a dessert pairing with dark chocolate or roasted nuts.
  • Sharp cheeses like aged cheddar or Gruyère
  • Charcuterie board
  • Dark chocolate
  • Toasted nuts like almonds or walnuts

The Welcome Home: A Modern Classic Sipper

The Welcome Home is a masterful modern classic cocktail from the renowned bar Death & Co. It's a stirred, spirit-forward drink that beautifully marries the spice of rye whiskey with the fruitiness of apple brandy, all tied together by the complex herbal sweetness of Bénédictine. Served up in a coupe with a lemon twist, it's a sophisticated, warming, and deeply satisfying sipper, perfect for a cozy evening. Its balance and complexity have made it a favorite among those who appreciate a well-crafted cocktail.

Similar Cocktails

Vieux Carré

Another New Orleans classic with rye whiskey and Bénédictine, but also includes Cognac, sweet vermouth, and both Angostura and Peychaud's bitters.

La Louisiane

Similar profile but uses Bénédictine, rye, sweet vermouth, and absinthe/pastis. It's a New Orleans classic with a different kind of herbal complexity.

Bobby Burns

A classic Scotch cocktail with sweet vermouth and Bénédictine, offering a smoky and herbal alternative.

Widow's Kiss

Uses Calvados as the base with herbal liqueurs (Yellow Chartreuse and Bénédictine), resulting in a similarly complex and autumnal flavor profile.

The Chancellor

A classic cocktail combining Scotch whisky, ruby port, dry vermouth, and orange bitters. Shares a stirred, spirituous, and warming character.

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