How to make the best Old-Fashioned cocktail? What is the correct way to make an Old-Fashioned? Why does it matter? For someone who has been in the biz for over 22 years (behind the stick for much of that time), certified in advanced mixology, runs his own cocktail business, published cocktail author, and oversaw the cocktail program at many high-end cocktail bars and establishments, I think I have the qualifications.
Not only will I discuss the cocktail making, but also the subtle nuances that goes into perfecting this classic cocktail, like ice, sugar, whiskey, bitters, glassware, garnishments, etc… All too often I see and taste Old-Fashioneds that are prepared, mixed, and served incorrectly. Sure, there are many variations of the cocktail and depends on how you and your guests want it, but, for the most part (other than choice of whiskey), most consumers will drink it the way you serve it and not experience its potential.
After you have read through this discussion, I hope that you have the ability and confidence to mix a well-balanced, visually appealing, and tasty Old-Fashioned for yourself and guests from your home bar. It will also give you the knowledge to order confidently from your favorite, local watering hole so you receive the cocktail the way you like it. I encourage you to experiment with different types of whiskey and other brown spirits and ice/ice molds to find YOUR best Old-Fashioned.
A little history behind the cocktail
The Old-Fashioned is considered the oldest American cocktail. The word cocktail wasn’t even in the vernacular until 1806, which at the time described a drink of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. By the late 1800s, bartenders were evolving. Credit is given to a bartender at the Pendennis Club in Kentucky for creating the official Old-Fashioned in 1880, which he introduced to New York at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar. During Prohibition, bartenders muddled orange and cherry into the cocktail, reportedly to mask the poor-quality alcohol’s harsh taste.
Therefore, the Old-Fashioned is considered the grandfather of all cocktails. Simple yet complex, subtle yet bold, it’s easy to see why the classic three-ingredient elixir remains so revered by bartenders and cocktail connoisseurs. It is so admired by bartenders that it is often the first cocktail they diligently master. What appears to be a simple drink of whiskey, sugar, and bitters is actually a complex, art form dependent on the right ingredients and the method of mixing them.
Ordering an Old-Fashioned at a bar will usually earn you an approving nod (except in those cases where barkeeps have no idea where to start), but it’s also the perfect cocktail to master at home. Though it’s relatively easy to concoct, it’s just as easy to mess it up.
Dark and boozy, a little sweet and a little bitter. In cocktail lore, is there another whiskey drink more historic and satisfying than the Old-Fashioned? The cocktail defies nostalgic title, and while it certainly went through less-than-ideal incarnations over the years. Luckily, the Old-Fashioned is one of the few cocktails that has never gone out of style and has been embraced by more women today than it ever has. If done right, whiskey cocktails have become more approachable for women.
The Old Fashioned is a cocktail of evolution. What we do know is that by the time cocktail books began appearing in the late 19th century, what we would call an Old-Fashioned today was often under the title of “Whiskey Cocktail”.
Reach for a quality whiskey
An Old Fashioned is essentially a vehicle for enjoying your favorite whiskey, so choose wisely. No need to break the bank but choose at least a midrange or call whiskey. Tradition calls for rye whiskey, but many people prefer bourbon. There is a plethora of different styled bourbons and whiskeys, like wheated bourbons, four-grain bourbons, single barrel bourbons, small batch bourbons, Irish whiskey, scotch whisky on the market today so give them a sip to find your style. There is also the age of the whiskey and the vessel it was aged in to consider (see below). I have served brandy or Cognac Old-Fashioneds over the years but is rare. It really comes down to individual preference.
Your choice of whiskey is the most important ingredient. it dictates the flavor profile and how well it mixes with the other flavors. A good rule of thumb is that heavier whiskeys, like bourbon, will make the cocktail taste a little on the sweeter side, while lighter whiskeys, like rye, will be more refreshing, but drier, and taste slightly spicy. I will list my favorite whiskey and bourbon to use for my Old-Fashioned recipe at the end of this post.
The only other ingredients the cocktail requires are bitters and sugar that work together to enhance the spirit with a subtle sweetness. Over the years, the cocktail has evolved to sometimes include sweet vermouth, orange slice, cherry, and club soda, but they are not traditional. Never add sweet vermouth – that is intended for a Manhattan.
Bourbon is my preference
The relatively heavy body of bourbon, a corn-based spirit, creates structure within the cocktail, and its natural sweetness helps counterbalance the more astringent elements of bitters. As bourbon is aged in charred new oak barrels, it tends to take on notes of vanilla and caramel, which are brought out by the addition of sugar. They also help to reduce the perceived heat of the alcohol, in turn allowing the spirit’s nuances to come through more cleanly. There is a trend of smoked Old-Fashioneds by using a smoker kit with different flavored wood, like peach, cherry, and apple and a torch.
Don’t throw in a sugar packet
Sugar is one of the three necessary ingredients of the cocktail, so it deserves some thought. The classic way to make an Old-Fashioned start with placing a sugar cube at the bottom of the glass, adding a few dashes of aromatic bitters and a splash of water and muddling with muddler until it’s completely dissolved (like a paste). Most people use simple syrup for ease and convenience, which is fine, but the sugar cube will help break it down and make it easier to dissolve and integrate into the drink.
The sugar does make a difference. You don’t want to hide ingredients – you want everything to be present. With the Old Fashioned, it depends on what you’re using as your sugar source and how much. If you use a 1:1 (water-sugar) simple syrup, use a younger bourbon between 80 to 90 proof for lighter sugar content. If we are at 91-plus proof whiskey that has some age to it, use a thicker/heavier syrup such as 2:1 demerara sugar.
Be aware of bitters
An Old-Fashioned calls for 2-3 dashes of bitters—no more, no less—that are added to the sugar cube or simple syrup. While the amount seems small, having too many or too few dashes can dramatically change the taste of the drink. The type and quality of bitters matters too. Angostura bitters is the classic and always an excellent choice, but I prefer orange bitters for mine. I have also experimented using a variety of other bitters, like chocolate, Peychaud’s, grapefruit, and lavender.
Don’t add soda water
Besides sugar, whiskey and bitters, any other ingredients are not in an Old-Fashioned. Although orange slices, cherries and soda water are commonly seen in Old Fashioneds, this is not correct. As mentioned earlier, many believe these ingredients (not soda water) were added during Prohibition to help cover up the sting of moonshine or whiskey. The use of soda water today by bartenders is a modern thing. Use a splash of regular water to help dissolve the sugar cube instead.
Don’t muddle cherries
If you prefer your Old-Fashioned with a cherry, like a brandied or Luxardo, just make sure not to muddle it into the cocktail. This cocktail does not want a punch of cherry flavor or floating fruit. Instead, add it later as a garnish on a pick with an orange peel or just dropped in. Choose one Luxardo cherry over the bright neon maraschino cherry, which is sweet and full of chemicals. Some Old-Fashioned enthusiasts like a Luxardo cherry syrup to be added to mix.
Add an orange peel for aromatics and citrus
Of all the additions to the Old Fashioned over the years, the orange peel is the most appropriate. I personally garnish a picked orange peel, not twist (you don’t want pith). Don’t muddle or add an orange quarter or slice. Use a vegetable peeler to peel off a thin layer. Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass before picked and dropped in.
Use a large ice cube
Back in the 1800s, ice cubes were typically two inches on each side, unlike the small versions today that melt quickly. If you want to be a purist (or at the least impress your guests), keep some large square or cylinder cube molds in the freezer for that unexpected guest. The cocktail will remain chilled for a while without diluting too quickly. If you don’t have access to one large cube, then opt for 2-3 larger sized ice cubes. Be careful not to over-dilute. You should never fill the glass to the top with ice. Avoid small cubes and crushed ice.
Don’t shake it
Old Fashioneds are to be stirred, never shaken. Use a bar spoon to steadily stir the cocktail for a maximum of 30 seconds—you want to chill it without melting the ice cube down too much. Find a good rhythm of stirring several rotations and then firmly stopping with the spoon in the glass every ten or so rotations. You want to smoothly incorporate the sugar paste without agitating the cocktail too much. As you stir, press the back of the spoon firmly against the mixing glass. You don’t want to slosh the drink around as that can be detrimental to the smooth, silky texture that is the hallmark of a great Old-Fashioned.
Use an Old-Fashioned glass (pictured)
That’s what they were made for after all. Even you don’t have them, a large rocks glass versus a small rocks glass will suffice. A small rocks glass is preferable for a spirit ‘neat’ or ‘on the rocks’. Don’t serve an Old-Fashioned in any other type of glass.
Proper Old-Fashioned Cocktail By Michael
- 1 sugar cube preferred or 1/2 oz demerara simple syrup
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters (Angostura bitters is classic)
- 1 barspoon of water to help dissolve
- 2 oz bourbon, such as Basil Hayden’s or Horse Soldier, or rye whiskey
- 1 large ice cube (square or cylinder). I prefer cylinder.
- Garnish: orange peel and Luxardo cherry picked (see cover photo)
For bourbons, I prefer Buffalo Trace, Bulleit, Angel’s Envy, Basil Hayden’s, Horse Soldier, and Four Roses. For ryes, I recommend EH Taylor and Bulleit. For whiskey, try Crown Royal or Sour Mash Jack Daniels Single Barrel (sweeter).
Prep –
- Add the sugar cube to the bottom of an Old-Fashioned glass. Add 2-3 dashes of orange bitters to the cube. Muddle using a muddler into a paste. Add barspoon of water and stir until the sugar is nearly dissolved.
- Add large ice cube or a few large pieces of ice. Add whiskey/bourbon and stir until well-chilled. Stir clockwise and counterclockwise alternating every 10 seconds.
- Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, pick the peel with a Luxardo cherry, then drop into the glass to garnish.
Cheers,
Michael
