Old Fashioned
Spirit-forward whiskey classic sweetened and seasoned with bitters.
Drink details
Glass
Old Fashioned Glass
Ice
Large Cube
Method
Stirred
Strength
Strong
Servings
1
Recipe
Ingredients
Bourbon
45 ml
Sugar
Sugar cube
1 cube
Angostura Bitters
2 dashes
Water
Plain water
2 dashes
Garnish
Orange Peel
Express oils
1 piece
Maraschino Cherry
1 piece
Rating
Rate this drink
Method
Preparation
- 1
Place the sugar cube in the Old Fashioned glass, saturate with Angostura bitters, add the plain water and muddle until dissolved.
- 2
Fill the glass with ice cubes and add the Bourbon.
- 3
Stir gently and garnish with orange peel and a maraschino cherry.
About the Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is one of the defining whiskey cocktails, built from whiskey, sugar and aromatic bitters. Rather than disguising the base spirit, the recipe enhances it with a small amount of sweetness and spice. Served over ice and finished with expressed orange peel, it is a simple cocktail in terms of ingredients but highly dependent on balance, dilution and the character of the whiskey. It is an excellent choice for drinkers who enjoy rich, spirit-forward cocktails.
What does an Old Fashioned taste like?
An Old Fashioned tastes rich, warming and whiskey-forward, with restrained sweetness and aromatic spice from the bitters. The orange peel contributes fragrant citrus oils without turning the drink into a citrus cocktail. As the ice slowly dilutes the drink, the whiskey softens and its underlying vanilla, oak, caramel or spice notes become more noticeable.
Tips for making an Old Fashioned
Make sure the sugar is properly dissolved with the bitters before adding the whiskey so that sweetness is distributed evenly. Use a large ice cube when possible because it chills the cocktail while melting relatively slowly. Stir sufficiently to cool and slightly dilute the whiskey, then express the orange peel over the finished drink to release its aromatic oils.
