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While earning my Culinary Food Science degree, I was required to take a wine and spirits course. Since then, I’ve been developing cocktail recipes for print and digital publications including Taste of Home, Better Homes and Gardens, Diabetic Living Magazine and more.
And out of the hundreds of cocktails I’ve developed, an old fashioned is still one of my favorite cocktails. It’s simple, easy to make and always in season.
What is an Old Fashioned Cocktail?
The Old Fashioned cocktail is one of the oldest and most classic whiskey cocktails, dating back to the early 1800s.
It’s typically made with a sugar cube and a few dashes of Angostura bitters (sometimes a splash of water) which are muddled together in an Old Fashioned glass to form a simple syrup.
The glass is then filled with ice, and a shot of whiskey—usually bourbon or rye—is poured over the top. The drink is stirred until chilled and finished with a twist of orange peel and (sometimes) a cocktail cherry or brandied cherry.
Old Fashioned vs Manhattan
The biggest difference is what goes into the cocktail. An old fashioned is: whiskey, sugar and bitters. A Manhattan contains: whiskey, sweet vermouth and a few dashes of bitters.
They’re also served differently. An old fashioned is served over ice in a rocks glass while a manhattan is served up in a coupe or Nick and Nora glass.
Old Fashioned Ingredients
Whiskey: the #1 rule of home bartending is that the BEST liquor is the one you like. We recommend bourbon if you like cocktails on the smoother and sweeter side or rye if you like them a bit hotter and spicy.
Sugar: for the best old fashioned cocktail, use a rich simple syrup (2 parts sugar: 1 part water) to sweeten the drink.
Bitters: after many recipe tests and a variety of bitters, we found the best bitters for the old fashioned cocktail is a combination of angostura bitters and orange bitters.
Garnishes: keep it simple with an orange twist and occasionally a maraschino cherry.
Best Sugar for Old Fashioned
We’re big believers that a simple syrup makes the best Old Fashioned. For one, it’s easier to use and two, it makes for a smoother drink. Traditionalists will say a sugar cube doused in bitters is the way to go, but if we’re talking quality (not history) then simple syrup it is.
Use a rich simple syrup for this cocktail. That’s 2 parts sugar to 1 part water. We recommend making the simple syrup with demerara, muscovado or brown sugar, though white sugar will work too.
How to Make the Best Old Fashioned Drink
- Combine the whiskey, simple syrup and bitters in a mixing glass with ice.
- Stir until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into the cocktail glass over one large ice cube or a few standard ice cubes.
- Garnish with an orange twist.
Garnish for Old Fashioned
Garnishes on an old fashioned are a hotly debated topic. We prefer to keep it very classic and very simple and garnish the cocktail with just an orange peel. We’ll occasionally throw in a Luxardo cherry and lemon peel, but only if the person drinking it requests them.
Many bartenders and home mixologists will muddle an orange, lemon and cherries before adding the whiskey. It’s an old habit that was formed during prohibition to cover up harsh spirits, but it certainly is not, and should not, be traditional.
How to Make Clear Ice for Old Fashioned Drink
The best way to make clear ice is to use this ice cube tray. Essentially you need a large ice cube tray and a small cooler. The key to achieving clear ice is to slow down the freezing process (hence the cooler).
It also helps if the ice cube tray has holes poked in it which allows the water molecules to move in and out of the ice cube tray and encourages any impurities to fall out of the ice cube tray and to the bottom of the cooler. Which is why it’s also important to set the tray on a rack inside the cooler so it sits up off the bottom of the cooler.
If you’ve got some leftover clear ice in the freezer, use it to serve Clarified Milk Punch. Milk Punch is clear and would be stunning with a big clear ice cube!
Test Kitchen Tips
- You can mix an Old Fashioned cocktail in the rocks glass you intend to serve it in or in a cocktail mixing glass. Either works!
- To avoid the drink from watering down too quickly, serve the cocktail in a rocks glass with a single large ice cube.
- If you like both bourbon and rye, use 1 ounce of each!
Old Fashioned Drink Recipe Variations
- For a cozy and naturally-sweetened option, make this cocktail with pure maple syrup instead of the simple syrup.
- For a very old-school Old Fashioned, muddle a sugar cube in the bottom of a rocks glass with the bitters before adding the remaining ingredients.
- Skip the cherry and instead garnish the cocktail with both an orange peel and a lemon peel.
- Try different flavored bitters like coffee bitters, vanilla bitters or chocolate bitters.
An old fashioned cocktail should be served in the heavy-bottomed crystal glass that, not surprisingly, goes by name of an old fashioned glass. You can also use a rocks glass.
The most important thing to remember is the best whiskey for your cocktails is the one you like. In order to create a cocktail you will like you need to use ingredients you like!
Traditionalists will say a true Old Fashioned should be made with rye since bourbon wasn’t developed or being made until decades after prohibition. Regardless, use what you like. For reference, bourbon will make for a mellow and slightly sweeter Old Fashioned. Rye will be a little “hotter” due to being high in alcohol and will add some spice.
Use whichever you prefer, or do a mix of both for the best of both worlds.
Some specific brands we like include Bulleit, Four Roses, Woodford Reserve and Basil Haydens.
The best Old Fashioned is made with two types of bitters—angostura bitters and orange bitters. We use them in equal parts—3 dashes of each. Bob’s Abbotts Bitters are also a favorite from time to time.
Best Old Fashioned Recipe with Simple Syrup
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Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon and/or rye whiskey
- ⅓ ounce rich simple syrup
- 3 dashes angostura bitters
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- orange peel, for garnish, optional
- maraschino cherry, for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Add whiskey, simple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass. Add 4 ice cubes and stir until chilled, about 15 seconds.
- Strain cocktail into a rocks glass with one large ice cube set in it.
- Express oils of orange peel over top. Add cherry, if using. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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