Simple, elegant and perfect, the Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail that needs no introduction.
When the day is done and it’s time to wind down, many of us will reach for a glass, some ice and a bottle of our favorite spirit. Soon enough, the rat race of our lives will slow a little. The ice cubes roll, clink and slosh around the glass as you pour a few fingers for yourself. The bouquet from the booze reaches your nose and you inhale deeply. The bite of that first sip is heavenly. A little smile crosses your lips. Is your phone ringing? Never mind. You may be home, but you’re not at home.
If that sounds like an ideal way to end the day, then tonight’s cocktail should be your evening companion. The Old Fashioned is a drink that casts a large shadow. One of the very first mixed drinks in history that you could ask a bartender for, the simple recipe could be the definition of perfection.
In the 1800s, a combination of whiskey, sugar, bitters and water was beginning to become quite popular at taverns and public houses. Then known as a “Whiskey Cocktail”, bartenders soon began experimenting with different spirits, ratios and other ingredients, much to the chagrin of their regular customers. They’d order their usual Whiskey Cocktail and wind up getting something they weren’t expecting. Frustrated, they would go back to the barkeep and request that they make them another cocktail “the old-fashioned way”. By the 1880s, the name stuck, and the drink was rechristened the Old Fashioned after the recipe appeared in The Bartender’s Manual by Theodore Proulx.
Strong, robust and a little spicy, the Old Fashioned brings to mind low-lit cocktail lounges and smoke-filled bars of yesteryear. Drinking one might even make you feel a bit like Humphrey Bogart or Robert Mitchum in a classic film noir. Double-breasted suits and wide-brimmed fedoras might not be in vogue these days, but the Old Fashioned always will be.
What Is The Best Alcohol To Use In An Old Fashioned?
You can choose between rye whiskey or bourbon to craft an Old Fashioned. Bourbon is aged and will be a little smoother, with smoky notes of caramel and vanilla. Rye whiskey is going to be a tad spikier in texture, with a more peppery and spicier profile. Both will bring distinctive flavors to your cocktail, so try each and see which you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube or 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar
- 2 to 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey
- Orange twist for garnish
- Maraschino cherry for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Put the sugar into an Old Fashioned glass.
- Splash 2 to 3 dashes of Angostura bitters onto the sugar. Muddle until the sugar has dissolved.
- Pour in your bourbon or rye whiskey.
- Add a large ice cube, stirring until the drink is well chilled. Finally, garnish with an orange twist and, if you like, a cherry.
Nutrition
What Glassware and Garnish Are Used?
An Old Fashioned glass is named as such because of the drink you’ll be pouring into it… the Old Fashioned. Slice an orange peel and express its citrus oils over your cocktail, then place it in for garnish along with a maraschino cherry.
Does the ice matter in a Classic Old Fashioned?
It does. Using a giant cube or sphere of ice melts slower, so the cocktail doesn’t get watered down. You’ll also look like a seasoned pro.
Old Fashioned Variations
As the Old Fashioned has been around for a few centuries, some variations and riffs on the classic recipe were bound to appear. And a number of them have become just as popular as the original. Here’s a sampling of a few of them. Make sure you explore Twist & Toast for even more.
- Irish Old Fashioned – Irish whiskey lets each sip transport you to the Emerald Isle.
- Tequila Old Fashioned – Add a Southwestern spin to your next Old Fashioned.
- Oaxaca Old Fashioned – Try something different and exciting this evening.
- Smoked Old Fashioned – If you’re looking for a tipple with atmosphere and ambiance, this is the one.
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