Old Fashioned
Bourbon, a little sugar and bitters over one big piece of ice. Simple, so use a whiskey you enjoy neat.
Stirred · Rocks glass · Medium · about 3 minutes · about 30% ABV
Ingredients
- 60 ml Bourbon
- 7.5 ml Sugar syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Orange peel (garnish)
Method
- Pour 60 ml bourbon into the mixing glass
- Pour 7.5 ml sugar syrup into the mixing glass
- Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Add ice
- Stir
- Strain
- Garnish
Tip
Squeeze the orange peel over the glass, skin side down, so its oils spray across the top.
About the Old Fashioned
In 1806 a New York newspaper defined a "cocktail" as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. By the 1880s, when bartenders had started adding liqueurs and fancy extras, drinkers began to ask for their whiskey cocktail "the old-fashioned way". The Pendennis Club in Louisville often claims it, but that story is disputed. It was revived worldwide in the 2000s.
The Old Fashioned family. In 1806 a New York newspaper defined a "cocktail" as spirits, sugar, water and bitters. By the 1880s drinkers asked for their whiskey "the old-fashioned way", and the name stuck. It is the original cocktail formula: a strong spirit, a little sweetness and bitters, stirred over ice.
Old Fashioned FAQ
What's in an Old Fashioned?
60 ml bourbon, 7.5 ml sugar syrup, 2 dashes angostura bitters, garnished with orange peel.
How strong is an Old Fashioned?
About 30% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.0 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is close to a straight spirit, so sip it slowly.
Should I shake or stir an Old Fashioned?
Stir it. It is made only of spirits and wines, so stirring keeps it clear and silky. Shaking would make it cloudy and frothy.
What glass do you serve an Old Fashioned in?
A rocks glass, about 300 ml. Serve it over ice. No rocks glass? Use any short, heavy tumbler.
