Cocktail of the week: The Peacock Inn’s fallen leaf – recipe

An autumnal highball of dark rum, apple juice, warming lemon and honey, with a leg-up from cinnamon and ginger

A warming, seasonal highball built on dark rum and cloudy apple juice. The rum brings a deep, molasses richness that pairs naturally with the apple, while lemon and honey keep things from tipping into sweetness. A pinch of cinnamon runs through the drink, while the ginger beer top adds gentle spice and lift. Garnished with an apple fan, a cinnamon stick (lit, if you like a bit of theatre!) and a dusting of cinnamon, this is a drink made for cold evenings.

50ml dark rum – we use Kraken 75ml cloudy apple juice 15ml lemon juice 1 tsp runny honey 1 pinch ground cinnamon, plus extra to garnish 1 splash ginger beer , to finish Apple fan and cinnamon stick, to garnish (all optional)

Fill a highball glass with ice, add the rum, apple juice, lemon juice and honey, and stir until the honey dissolves. Add the ground cinnamon, stir again, then top with ginger beer and give it a last gentle stir to combine. Garnish with an apple fan, a fresh cinnamon stick (light it briefly for a smoky finish, if you like) and a dusting of ground cinnamon, and serve.

Jessica Symonds, restaurant manager, The Peacock Inn, Chelsworth, Suffolk