How to make an Old Fashioned?

What is an Old Fashioned Cocktail?

An Old Fashioned Cocktail is a whiskey drink with a few dashes of bitters muddled with sugar and water. It is usually served on the rocks with an orange peel garnish. This is probably my favorite cocktail and the first round I will order at a higher end bar. The best part of this cocktail is its simplicity and the fact it lets the whiskey be the star.

Old Fashioned cocktail served in a rocks glass with ice and a orange twist

Origins

The old fashioned is a cocktail in the purest form. The name actually came later on when cocktails became more complex and so patrons would say they want it the “old fashioned” way. Who can argue with them? This is a drink for the ages. This is a masterpiece of a cocktail. 

Though claimed to be invented in Kentucky by the Pendennis Club the real origin is unknown. The term Old-Fashioned was used a year before the club opened and even then was based on a recipe that has been around for ages.

Muddler, bottle of bourbon, orange, spoon, rocks glass, sugar.

Old Fashioned Ingredients

  • 1 sugar cube with a splash of water or 1oz Simple Syrup
  • 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters
  • 2 ounces of whiskey
  • Orange twist

Instruction Overview

Grab a glass then put in your bitters, sugar, and a splash of water.

Muddle the sugar until it mainly dissolves.

Add ice and whiskey the stir and rim the glass.

Best Bourbons for an Old Fashioned?

  • Your favorite whiskey is always the best.
  • Maker’s Mark
  • Jack Daniels
  • Bulleit
  • Knob Creek
  • Jim Bean
  • A Local Distillery is a great option.
Bottle of bourbon with a old fashioned in a rocks glass

The Olive Twist

The whiskey is what shines in this drink so you definitely want to use the good stuff whether it is the “traditional” bourbon or another whiskey. Now if you are dealing with a harsher whiskey or just in general prefer a little more sweetness and citrus you can muddle in a slice of orange and/or a cherry. This is the way many bars serve an old fashioned to cover up a less good whiskey.

You can also choose to forgo the ice but if you do this I recommend a splash of water to help open up the whiskey. 

If you really want to go off the path you can even use a completely different type of liquor or swap in a different bitters to bring out different flavors. For instance, use orange bitters to bring even more of that citrus and sweetness.

Old Fashioned

An Old Fashioned Cocktail is a whiskey drink with a few dashes of bitters muddled with sugar and water. It is usually served on the rocks with an orange peel garnish. This is probably my favorite cocktail and the first round I will order at a higher end bar. The best part of this cocktail is its simplicity and the fact it lets the whiskey be the star.
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 1 drink
Calories 151 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Muddler
  • 1 Rocks Glass
  • 1 Spoon

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cube Sugar
  • 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
  • 2 ounces Whiskey
  • 1 twist Orange

Instructions
 

  • Grab an old fashioned glass otherwise known as low-ball or rocks glass.
  • Put in some sugar with a few dashes of bitters.
  • Splash in a little water or a little whiskey and begin muddling the sugar until it mainly dissolves. Personally I prefer just using the whiskey so as to not dilute the drink further.
  • Slide in your ice preferably a single large ice cube since it will melt slower.
  • Pour in your whiskey of choice.
  • Stir until chilled and the rest of the sugar dissolves.
  • Finish by rimming glass with a squeeze of an orange peel which you can use as a garnish to top it off.

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