Old Fashioned co*cktail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What was in the original Old Fashioned? ›

The first whiskey old fashioned recipe was printed in 1895 in Modern American Drinks by George Kappeler. His recipe instructs the reader to dissolve a lump of sugar in water, add two dashes of bitters, a piece of ice, lemon-peel and one jigger whiskey.

A classic Old Fashioned co*cktail calls for rye whiskey or bourbon. We like to stick with reliable, mid-range bottles. Four Roses is a fantastic everyday choice, especially for the price. Bulleit is popular, too (we've got their 10-year rye right now).

Both co*cktails call for whisky and Angostura bitters, but the defining factor lies in their sweetening agents. The Old Fashioned opts for straightforward sugar or syrup, helping to soften the whisky. In contrast the Manhattan favours a sweet vermouth – adding fruity and caramel flavours into the mix.

If you want to look like a local ordering an old fashioned in wisconsin, order it like this: “Can I have a brandy old fashioned sweet?” You'll ask it like a question because you're an uber-polite Wisconsinite, and you'll indicate your soda preference right in the order by adding “sweet”.

The Wisconsin variation came about post-World War II when liquor distributors in Wisconsin found a cache of around 30,000 cases of quality brandy that they sold, which became more popular than the bad whiskey that was sold during the war, according to the book "Wisconsin co*cktails."

Similarly, for the past few decades, the old-fashioned has been seen as a man's drink, but after Prohibition, the old-fashioned was one of the most popular drinks ordered by women. Understanding this connection between women and co*cktail culture places women back into a story that popular culture has removed them from.

Maker's Mark Wood Finishing Series, Jefferson's Tropics Aged in Humidity, and Larceny Straight Bourbon are among the best bourbons to make an old fashioned.

Sazerac. The Sazerac is probably the closest drink to an Old Fashioned, that isn't an Old Fashioned. So if you like one, bets are you'll like the other. A traditional Old Fashioned uses bourbon, while a Sazerac uses rye whisky which makes it more peppery.

“Dirty” because it involves the orange of an Old Fashioned as well as the cherry juice that is usually a ghost of a flavour from the cherry at the bottom of a Manhattan. These two elements combined add the sweetness of the drink and provide the “dirty” element, similar to the olive juice in a martini.

Is an Old Fashioned better with simple syrup or sugar cube? ›

Use Rich Simple Syrup

The sugar cube is one Old Fashioned tradition that can definitely be skipped. While many recipes call for it, it offers no advantage over using a rich simple syrup and has several disadvantages. Most obviously, you have to find and buy sugar cubes and a muddler.

There's no wrong way to order an Old Fashioned, simply state what you want and how you want it. Start by saying the type of whisky you fancy, followed by any tweaks you want to make. It could be with a twist, an extra dash of bitters or syrup instead of sugar.

Whether it's dry vermouth (maybe you're making a Fifty-Fifty Martini), sweet red vermouth (for negronis), or the in-between bianco (for a new twist on a negroni), it needs to go in the fridge—where it won't last longer than a few months. (Montagano notes that the sweeter reds will last a little longer, but not much.)

Old-Fashioned — (38.09%, 2.44oz in volume, 0.93oz alcohol) Bloody Mary — (12%, 7.5oz in volume, 0.9oz alcohol) Negroni — (20.13%, 4oz in volume, 0.81oz alcohol)