Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
The Old Fashioned cocktail, much like life itself, is both bitter and sweet. The deep amber color conjures memories of a bygone era, when people drank to forget their sorrows and remember their joys. The sharpness of the whiskey is tempered by the gentle sweetness of sugar and the bitter bite of an orange peel. Sipping an Old Fashioned, one can't help but feel a sense of nostalgia for a time that may have never existed, but nonetheless feels as real as the glass in one's hand.
Servings: 1
Equipment
- 1 Mixing glass
- 1 Rocks glass, chilled
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey, if preferred)
Garnishes
- orange twist
- maraschino cherry (Luxardo or other high quality brand)
Instructions
- Add the sugar, water, and bitters into a mixing glass and stir until the sugar is nearly dissolved.
- Fill the mixing glass with ice, add the bourbon, and stir until well-chilled.Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube.
- Express the oil of an orange twist over the glass, then drop into the glass to garnish.
Notes
The maraschino cherry is not a traditional garnish for this drink, but it makes it perfection, IMHO. However, make sure you're using high quality cherries such as Luxardo or Hotel Starlino, otherwise you will just be ruining a perfectly serviceable concoction.
You can use regular granulated sugar, but I like turbinado sugar for a slightly more complex flavour. I'm also a big fan of substituting 1 teaspoon of maple syrup for the sugar and water, for a Maple Old Fashioned.