Old Fashioned
A stylish, spirit-forward classic in which bourbon, sugar and bitters melt into something close to perfect.
Ingredients
- Bourbon, a bourbon you would also drink neat, or rye if you want a little more spice60 ml
- Ice, one large, clear cube by preference1 cube
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)10 ml
- Aromatic bitters (Angostura)e.g. Angostura3 dashes
- Water, just enough to dissolve the sugar2 dashes
- Orange, expressed over the drink (optional)1 twist
Method
- Pour the syrup, bitters and water into a cold glass.
- Add the bourbon and stir briefly.
- Place a large ice cube in the glass.
- Stir calmly for 15–30 seconds, until the drink is cold and very slightly diluted.
- Twist the orange peel over the glass to express its essential oils, and drop it in to garnish.
About this drink
The Old Fashioned is one of the oldest named cocktails and comes from nineteenth-century America, where 'cocktail' originally meant exactly this combination of spirit, sugar, bitters and water. The name arose when bar guests began asking for the drink made 'the old-fashioned way', without the newfangled additions that had crept in. It has stood ever since as the very definition of a spirit-forward drink, in which the quality of the whiskey is everything.
Questions and answers
How long should you stir an Old Fashioned?
Fifteen to thirty seconds over a single large ice cube gives the right dilution. Too short and the drink is too strong and sharp; too long and it turns thin and watery.
Can you make an Old Fashioned with a spirit other than bourbon?
Yes. Rye whiskey gives a drier, spicier version, and rum or cognac work too, although the drink changes in spirit. The formula (spirit, sugar, bitters, ice) stays the same whatever the base.
Why one large ice cube rather than several small ones?
A large cube has less surface area for its volume, so it melts more slowly and dilutes the drink less over time. It keeps the Old Fashioned cold and strong for longer at the table.
