There is debate as to when the Old Fashioned was invented – but no debate that it is experiencing a revival. And for good reason, the Old Fashioned is simple and so tasty. With our current love of brown spirits, being able to make a proper Old Fashioned is a necessary and appreciated skill.
Made of sugar, bitters, water, whiskey, citrus peel, and ice – the variations are endless. Muddling cherries and/or oranges was a trend that I personally am not fond of. However, swapping rye for bourbon or whiskey is an excellent way to experiment. I also like playing
with the bitters. I prefer to use a combination depending on my mood (and what I have on hand). Add both lemon and orange peels for more complexity. Today we typically find orange peel or even a wedge (eeek) whereas lemon peel is the traditional finish. And this is not a twist, but a large swath of peel that you can express over the top of the drink so that the citrus really perfumes the drink.
Another departure from the cocktail of the 1800’s is the use of simple syrup instead of sugar and water. I feel this provides a more uniform sweetness throughout the life of your cocktail (instead of the bottom of the drink being sweeter then the top).
Old Fashioned: The Recipe
2 oz. (60 ml) Whiskey of your choice. I like Rittenhouse 100 for a rye and Lexington for my bourbon.
1/2 oz. (15 ml) Simple Syrup (1:1 Demerara Sugar & Water)
3 Dashes Bitters. Use Angostura or experiment. I like 1 Dash Angostura, 1 Dash Scrappy’s Orange Bitters, 1 Dash Woodford Reserve Spice Cherry Bitters
Garnish: Orange and Lemon peel
Glass: Rocks
Directions
- Add all of your ingredients to the rocks glass
- Add in a large ice cube
- Stir thoroughly, about a minute
- Garnish with orange and lemon squeezing the peels to express the oils over the drink