Cocktails

Autumn Leaves

Autumn Leaves is an alcoholic cocktail built on Straight Rye Whiskey. It leans spice, herbal and sweet. Stirred and served in a Old-Fashioned Glass. Expect about 34.7% ABV and roughly 220 kcal (estimated per recipe).

Reviewed by the WhatDrink Editorial TeamHow we calculate nutritionSuggest a correction

Cocktailalcoholic34.7% ABV6 ingredients

At a Glance

220 kcalCalories

34.7%ABV

8.9gSugar

12gCarbs

1.27Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderatestirred drink

Why: 6 ingredients, stirred drink, requires bar spoon

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients

0.75 ozStraight rye whiskeyBase Spirit
0.75 ozApple BrandyBase Spirit
0.75 ozSweet VermouthFortified Wine
0.75 ozStregaOther
2 dashesAngostura BittersBitters
1 garnishOrange twistGarnish

How to Make It

Stir with ice and strain into ice-filled old-fashioned glass.Stirred
Add orange twist.Add

How to Serve

Glass: Old-Fashioned Glass
Temperature: Chilled
Ice: Ice
Method: Stirred

Served Chilled

Taste profile

Primary flavours

Spice Herbal Sweet

Supporting notes

Oak Bitter Apple FruitPepper

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong

BodyLight – Full

SweetnessDry – Sweet

FruitinessEarthy – Fruity

BoldnessDelicate – Bold

High ABV
Full-bodied
Bold and complex

What do these dimensions mean?

When to serve

BBQ / CookoutSuggested from its oak notes, pairing with bbq and grilled meat.
Winter / CozySuggested from its spice notes.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

BBQ Steak Grilled Meat

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Gluten-Free Vegetarian

May be limited

Vegan

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-Sugar

Find vegan-compatible cocktails

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Straight Rye Whiskey0.75 oz

Rye WhiskeyGood swap

How much to use: Use the same amount; taste before changing sweetener.
What changes: Rye whiskey is usually a close replacement for straight rye whiskey in cocktails, subject to bottle strength and flavour.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Sweet Vermouth0.75 oz

Rosso VermouthGood swap

How much to use: Use the same amount; adjust only for the specific bottle’s sweetness and bitterness.
What changes: Rosso vermouth is a sweet red vermouth and is usually a close replacement for a generic sweet vermouth.

Dry VermouthNot a neutral swap

How much to use: You may need a small sweetener adjustment if the drink loses balance.
What changes: Dry vermouth is not a neutral substitute for sweet vermouth; it makes the drink much drier.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Angostura Bitters2 dashes

Aromatic BittersWorks, with a noticeable change

How much to use: Start with the recipe’s dash count and taste before adding more.
What changes: Another aromatic bitters can replace Angostura when some change in spice and fruit character is acceptable.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Orange BittersNot a neutral swap

How much to use: Start with the recipe’s dash count and taste; the result will lose some baking-spice character.
What changes: Orange bitters can replace Angostura only when a brighter, more citrus-led result is acceptable.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Orange Twist1 garnish

Orange PeelGood swap

How much to use: Use a similar-sized piece of peel.
What changes: Orange peel is usually a close substitute for an orange twist.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Lemon TwistWorks, but changes the drink

How much to use: Use the same size twist.
What changes: Lemon twist can replace orange twist when a sharper lemon aroma is acceptable.

Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.

Preference filters use current ingredient, nutrition and diet evidence. They are not medical advice, and this database contract does not store user selections.

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Last updated June 18, 2026

Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.

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Try alcohol-freeBrowse mocktails and zero-ABV alternatives.Make it lighterTry a longer serve style, more ice, soda, tonic or a lower-ABV alternative.Lower the sugarCompare with drinks that use less estimated sugar per serve.Lower the caloriesCompare with drinks that sit lower on estimated calories per serve.

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Frequently asked questions

What is an Autumn Leaves?: The Autumn Leaves is a cocktail made with 6 ingredients, traditionally served in a Old-Fashioned Glass. It has an ABV of approximately 34.7%. A standard serving contains approximately 220 calories.
What does an Autumn Leaves taste like?: Autumn Leaves has a flavour profile featuring Spice, Herbal, Sweet, Oak. The exact taste varies depending on the brands and measures used.
What food goes well with an Autumn Leaves?: Autumn Leaves pairs well with BBQ, Steak, Grilled Meat. The pairing is based on complementary flavour profiles from the recipe's ingredients.
How strong is an Autumn Leaves?: The Autumn Leaves has an ABV of approximately 34.7%. That's approximately 1.27 US standard drinks. This recipe is estimated to contain 220 kcal, 8.9g sugar, 12.0g carbs. Strength varies depending on the exact measures and ingredients used.
When is an Autumn Leaves typically served?: Autumn Leaves is often suggested for BBQ / Cookout, Winter / Cozy, based on its flavour profile and typical serve.
What drinks are similar to an Autumn Leaves?: If you enjoy Autumn Leaves, the "similar flavour profile" suggestions on this page point to cocktails that share its flavour character. Drinks with a matching spirit base and comparable body and acidity feel closest.
Can I make an Autumn Leaves at home?: Yes. The Autumn Leaves uses 6 ingredients, making it more involved to prepare at home. You will need a Old-Fashioned Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.
What do the sensory profile dimensions mean?: Sensory profile dimensions describe key flavour characteristics: Body (light to full), Dryness (sweet to bone dry), Acidity (flat to crisp), Fruitiness (subtle to prominent) and Boldness (delicate to bold). Each scale helps you compare cocktails at a glance and find ones with similar character.
How do I use sensory profiles to find cocktails I like?: Compare the Body, Acidity and Fruitiness of Autumn Leaves with other cocktails. If you enjoy this drink, look for others with a similar profile. Adjust one dimension at a time to discover new favourites while staying in your flavour comfort zone.