Old Fashioned

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 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. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •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.

Background