Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is a smooth, spirit-led cocktail that balances bourbon's warmth with a touch of sweetness, aromatic bitters, and bright orange oils. Served over ice with a cherry garnish, it is elegant, simple, and deeply satisfying.
Nutrition · per serving
Ingredients
7 itemsFor the cocktails
For garnish
Tips
- •Use a decent bourbon with vanilla, caramel, or spice notes; because the drink is simple, the whiskey quality is very noticeable.
- •Large, dense ice melts more slowly and keeps the cocktail cold without over-diluting it.
- •For a slightly drier version, reduce to 1/2 sugar cube per glass or use 5 ml simple syrup per glass instead of a full cube.
- •Do not include too much cherry syrup from the jar, or the drink will lose its classic bitters-and-citrus profile.
Steps
- 1
Place 1 sugar cube in each old fashioned glass. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and 5 ml cold water to each glass.
2 cubes (about 8 g each) sugar cubes4 dashes Angostura bitters10 ml cold water - 2
Muddle each sugar cube until mostly dissolved into a syrupy base. If a few tiny crystals remain, that is fine; they will continue dissolving as you stir. This prevents a gritty drink.
2 cubes (about 8 g each) sugar cubes4 dashes Angostura bitters10 ml cold water - 3
Add 2 large ice cubes to each glass, then pour in 60 ml bourbon per glass. Stir for 20-30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted; the outside of the glass should feel cold.
8 large cubes ice cubes120 ml bourbon - 4
Add 2 more large ice cubes to each glass if needed to fill, then express the orange peel over each drink by twisting it skin-side down to release its oils. Rub the peel around the rim for extra aroma and drop it into the glass.
8 large cubes ice cubes2 strips, about 4 x 1.5 cm each orange peel - 5
Garnish each cocktail with 1 maraschino cherry and serve immediately. The finished drink should taste spirit-forward, lightly sweet, aromatic, and balanced rather than sugary.
2 maraschino cherries
Origin & History
The Old Fashioned is one of the foundational American whiskey cocktails, dating back to the 19th century when drinkers asked for a cocktail made in the old-fashioned way: spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. It became especially associated with bourbon and rye in the United States and remains a benchmark of classic cocktail culture.
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