How to make the perfect Old Fashioned Cocktail

The Old Fashioned as we know it today stems from what would have been referred to simply as a Whiskey Cocktail - a combination of sugar, bitters, and whiskey. Like many classic cocktails, the invention of the drink is steeped in lore. The first clear reference appears in print in 1880 in the Chicago Tribune, a city that had always loved Old Fashioned - even through Prohibition, when good whiskey was more difficult to come by in other parts of the States. 

Popularized in the late 1800s by drinkers who longed for the cocktails of years past - this “old-fashioned cocktail” would be served in the style of yesteryear:  unlike the new-fangled cocktails that included the addition of absinthe, flavorful liqueurs, and plentiful garnish.  The drink would capture the hearts and tastebuds of those reminiscing for days and cocktails gone by. 

From the late 1800s to slightly after Prohibition, the Old Fashioned was built in the serving glass, significantly smaller than the double rocks glasses we often use today. This old-Old Fashioned was often served with a small spoon, which allowed the customer to stir the drink to their liking. In fact, in one 1885 Creole Cookbook, La Cuisine Creole, the Old Fashioned appears under the name “Spoon Cocktail.” 

Somewhere along the way, the Old Fashioned became synonymous with a whiskey drink that included a muddled cherry and an orange - theories to how this happened are abundant. As with most drinks in the cocktail renaissance, folks turned back to a simpler, less fruity Old Fashioned…. Sound familiar? Yup - Just as those folks in the late 1800s did.

Today, this drink is enjoyed in its classic form and endlessly inspired interpretations by cocktail connoisseurs worldwide. Cheers to the Old Fashioned a drink that is, in the words of Robert Simonson (author of The Old Fashioned: The Story of the World’s First Classic Cocktail), “a piece of sturdy architecture on which to hang alternative interpretations of the drink.”

Here’s the recipe:

2 oz Bourbon

one large sugar cube

Angostura Bitters

Orange peel

-Place a large ice cube in your rocks glass and set it aside.

-Put a sugar cube in mixing glass and add two large dashes of Ango bitters and a teaspoon of water. Muddle until you have a syrup-like consistency. Add bourbon, fill with ice, and stir for 15 seconds. Grab your rocks glass with the large cube and strain your mixture with a julep strainer.

Peel a strip from a firm orange, twist the peel above your glass to release oils and place the peel in your glass.

Enjoy!