Cherry and Maple joined the lineup as the Slow and Low Old-Fashioned debuted in New York City.
On a warm Wednesday evening in Manhattan, the rooftop at The Puttery turned into something of a cocktail playground. Against the backdrop of city lights and the hum of late-summer Midtown, Slow & Low unveiled its latest pair of Old-Fashioned expressions—Cherry and Maple—expansions that speak as much to heritage as they do to innovation.
I stepped into the evening expecting a product showcase; instead, it unfolded as something more layered. Not just a launch, but an experiment in how far a cocktail can stretch—honoring its roots while still managing to surprise.
The Story Behind the Slow and Low Old-Fashioned
The Slow and Low Old-Fashioned is not a newcomer to rye whiskey or the cocktail renaissance. Its revival of Rock & Rye—once America’s original bottled cocktail—has earned it a quiet cult following—built on one refusal: to compromise on proof or flavor. While much of the industry chased convenience with low-ABV seltzers and easy pours, Slow & Low doubled down on heritage, reminding drinkers that history matters, taste matters, and even a can of whiskey deserves to be taken seriously.
Now the portfolio stretches across the Proper Old-Fashioned, the 6-Year 100-Proof expression, and the Coffee Old-Fashioned [a collaboration with Intelligentsia Coffee]. Awards aside, each one nudged the category forward, showing that convenience does not have to mean compromise.
This September, they added two more to the family: the Cherry Old-Fashioned, made with Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco, and the Maple Old-Fashioned, sweetened with Crown Maple’s organic syrup.
A Rooftop Launch for the Slow and Low Old-Fashioned
High above the city, Rory’s Rooftop at The Puttery NYC turned the launch into something more playful than traditional. Instead of white-tablecloth tastings or stiff whiskey seminars, the evening leaned into atmosphere. Rooftop mini golf with a drink in hand, slow-smoked bites from Brooklyn’s own Hometown BBQ drifting through the air, and an invitation to taste not only the new Cherry and Maple but also the entire Slow & Low lineup.
It felt less like a press showcase and more like slipping into someone’s house party, only the host happened to be a whiskey brand with a deep respect for tradition.
I started, naturally, with the Cherry.
The Cherry Old-Fashioned: Jam, Spice, and a Hint of Nostalgia
The first sip carried me straight into memory. There is something about black cherry that always feels decadent, like a late-night dessert or the syrupy center of a chocolate cordial. But Slow & Low’s take is sharper than that—more disciplined.
The Luxardo Sangue Morlacco liqueur builds an immediate rush of black cherry jam on the nose, deepened by marzipan and edged with orange peel. On the palate, the flavors stretch wide: tart cherry at first, then cola, cinnamon, and star anise. A vanilla thread pulls it together, but what lingers is rye’s dry spice—a reminder that this is not a fruit cocktail masquerading as an Old-Fashioned.
It finished crisp, almost refreshing despite its intensity. I could see this one served after dinner, with a plate of dark chocolate nearby. Or, in true New York style, tucked into a flask on a brisk evening walk through Central Park.
The Maple Old-Fashioned: A Sip of Autumn in a Glass
The Slow and Low Old-Fashioned Maple leaned warming, where Cherry leaned indulgent. I expected sweetness, but the drink balanced restraint and depth. Crown Maple’s organic syrup does not coat the whiskey so much as it threads through it, amplifying rather than overwhelming.
The nose offered orange zest and a whisper of maple sugar. On the tongue, though, it broadened—molasses, a touch of crème brûlée, and rye’s natural spice pacing the sweetness. The fade was long, mellowing into vanilla and oak.
This was the one that surprised me most. It did not taste like a gimmick or a novelty. It tasted like autumn distilled. I thought of Saturday markets in the Hudson Valley, or the smell of leaves underfoot in Prospect Park. You could pour this over one large cube and settle into an October evening.
And then there was the banana pudding from Hometown BBQ. Paired with the Maple Old-Fashioned, it was heaven in a glass and spoon—the creamy, nostalgic sweetness of the pudding wrapping itself around the cocktail’s maple and spice. The two seemed made for each other, like a fireside dessert you did not know you needed.
I left already imagining the next pairing I want to try: the Maple Old-Fashioned alongside a slice of pecan pie. The caramelized nuts, buttery crust, and sticky filling would no doubt meet the cocktail’s depth head-on, creating something both decadent and grounding. The kind of indulgence autumn practically demands.
The Makers Behind the Flavors
These new Old-Fashioneds are not just flavor twists; they carry the weight of makers with deep roots in their craft. The Cherry draws on Luxardo’s Sangue Morlacco, a liqueur rooted in two centuries of Italian tradition and the company’s own Marasca cherry orchards.
The Maple leans on Crown Maple, a Hudson Valley producer that’s grown into one of the country’s most respected sources of organic syrup since its founding in 2010.
Together with Cooper Spirits Co.—the independent house behind Slow & Low and the French liqueur St-Germain—these partnerships give the lineup more than just novelty. They lend credibility, depth, and craft to what could otherwise have been a fleeting experiment.
Coffee, Proper, and the Six-Year: A Full Flight
Of course, the event was not only about the newcomers. Flights included Slow & Low’s entire range, and revisiting the Coffee Old-Fashioned reminded me why it works: roasted bitterness against honeyed rye. The Proper Old-Fashioned still anchors the lineup, straightforward and balanced. The 6-Year? That one feels like a statement piece—100 proof of depth and history, not for the faint of heart.
Together, the flight made it clear: Slow & Low is not chasing novelty. Each expression is a variation on a theme, a way of asking: what does the Old-Fashioned look like when it meets coffee, or cherry, or maple, without losing its essence.
The Coffee Old-Fashioned in particular sparked ideas beyond sipping it neat. It had me imagining my own riffs: shaken into an espresso martini for depth, or softened with something cream-based for a winter dessert cocktail that leans indulgent yet grown-up. It felt like the most versatile of the lineup, inviting experimentation while still standing firmly on its own.
The Setting: Cocktails with Playfulness
One of the things I appreciated about this launch was its playfulness. The Puttery’s rooftop mini-golf course added levity to what could have been a formal spirits showcase. Cocktails and putters are not a natural pairing, but maybe that is the point.
Drinking has always been about sociality as much as taste. The clink of ice in a glass feels different when you are waiting for a friend to sink a putt under the Manhattan skyline. The barbecue from Hometown—smoky, tender, unapologetically messy—played well with the drinks, especially the maple, whose sweetness cut the fattiness of brisket.
In that context, the cocktails felt lived-in, approachable. You did not need to be a whiskey scholar [which I am certainly not] to enjoy them.
How the Slow and Low Old-Fashioned Fits into NYC’s Cocktail Scene
New York is not short on cocktails. From speakeasies in the East Village to rooftop bars in Williamsburg, there is always another spin on the Old-Fashioned waiting to be discovered. What makes Slow & Low’s additions notable is how they bridge the worlds of bartender craftsmanship and consumer convenience.
They will not replace an evening at Bemelmans or Attaboy, but they fill a different gap—those nights when you want something polished at home without playing bartender. In a city where nights stretch long and schedules are unpredictable, that convenience matters.
Yet there is another layer here: partnerships. Luxardo and Crown Maple are not just name drops. They bring weight, heritage, and artisanal credibility. In a landscape where “flavored whiskey” can mean anything from cloying candy sweetness to thoughtful experimentation, Slow & Low has chosen its collaborators wisely.
My Takeaway: A House of Old-Fashioneds That Actually Feels Like Home
By the end of the evening, after rounds of Cherry, Maple, Coffee, Proper, and the 6-Year, I left with a sense of cohesion. The company likes to style itself as the ‘House of the Proper Old-Fashioned.’ On paper, that sounds like clever branding. But over the course of the tasting, it felt less like a slogan and more like a genuine through-line.
What struck me was how consistent each pour felt—no matter the flavor, it was still recognizably an Old-Fashioned first. Every pour still tasted like an Old-Fashioned first, and a flavored experiment second. That hierarchy matters. It means the rye always comes through, the bitters always anchor, and the sweetness, whether from cherry or maple, plays supporting role.
I also did not leave empty-handed. I brought home both the Coffee and the Rock & Rye, already imagining how they might find a place in my own bar experiments. Shaken into an espresso martini, perhaps softened with cream, or even reworked into something entirely new. That, I think, is Slow & Low’s quiet invitation: these bottles do not just travel from distillery to glass, they extend into your own rituals, ready to become yours.
It also reminded me that cocktails—like neighborhoods, like people—can evolve without losing their character.
Final Sips
Cherry or Maple? I surprised myself by loving both. The Cherry hit with a bold, tart decadence that felt playful and a little indulgent. The kind of pour that stirs the senses and jolts the palate awake. But the Maple stayed with me longer. Layered and seasonal, it feels like the kind of companion I will return to as the air cools and evenings stretch out. Something steady enough to meet autumn’s rhythm, sip after sip.
What lingers is how Slow & Low has managed to stay distinct in a crowded ready-to-drink market. Their lane is narrower—but it is clearer. For some brands, heritage is baggage. Yet here, it felt like ballast. Steadying the drinks while lending structure without dulling their edges.. Nothing felt rushed or gimmicky—just variations that had clearly been thought through.
As I walked out into the Manhattan night, the city felt slightly different—warmer, more layered, alive with possibility. Maybe it was the cocktails. Perhaps it was the rooftop air. Either way, Slow & Low’s new chapter felt less like a launch and more like a toast to what is next.
📍 Slow & Low
Available Online
🌐 drinkslowandlow
📸 Instagram: @DrinkSlowand Low
