There’s nothing that has truly earned its title as the old fashioned! The earliest mention of these ingredients can be dated back to the early 1800s, with the name officially dubbed in the 1880s. This is a cocktail as old as the word cocktail itself! Now that is truly old fashioned. This is a favorite sipping drink of mine. It goes down easy any time of the year. I can picture myself sitting outside, enjoying the sunset, soaking up the fresh aroma of citrus with every sip. I could also picture sitting by a warm fire, wrapped up in a blanket, watching the snow fall out the window as the whiskey burns so satisfyingly all the way down to my stomach.
Ingredients
Simple syrup – Make your own by dissolving equal parts water and sugar. Bitters – I used Angostura bitters. Whiskey – I used bourbon. Ice cube – Either 1 large cube or 1/2 cup regular cubes. Orange peel – Use a potato peeler and get a 2-3 inch strip. Bourbon cherries – Or maraschino cherries.
What type of whiskey should I choose?
You really can use any type of whiskey you prefer for an old fashioned, however bourbon is the classic choice. Some may swear by rye, and that’s okay! If you are a seasoned whiskey drinker and have a particular favorite, of course, go with that. If you’re new to the whiskey and old fashioned world, I suggest starting with bourbon. Find a bourbon smooth in flavor to carry this drink. You can even use a smoky variety to give a different taste to your old fashioned. Brands such as Buffalo Trace, Larency, Woodford Reserve, Jim Beam, and Bulleit are old fashioned favorites.
All about bitters
Bitters are made by infusing a completely neutral spirit with different flavors such as spices, fruits, bark, seeds, or, in the case of angostura bitters, a mixture of a few flavors. You can flavor your old fashioned in many different ways using a variety of bitters! Orange, root beer, cherry, coffee, or maple would be great substitutions for angostura to really amp up your old fashioned experience.
How to make simple syrup
How to make an old fashioned
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