Old Fashioned
Bourbon, sugar, bitters and a twist of orange. The original cocktail formula, stirred slowly over ice.
- Time
- 5 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- 2 UK units
How to make an Old Fashioned
- Dissolve the sugar. Put the sugar cube in a rocks glass, add the bitters and the water, and crush it with the back of a spoon. Stir until it looks like a gritty syrup, about 20 seconds.
- Add the bourbon and ice. Pour in the bourbon and add one large ice cube. A single cube chills the drink without watering it down too fast.
- Stir slowly. Stir for about 30 seconds, until the glass feels cold and the sugar has fully dissolved. Taste it. The whiskey should be smooth, not hot.
- Finish with orange. Squeeze a wide strip of orange peel over the drink, skin side down, so the oils spray across the top, then drop it in.
- Glass
- Rocks glassNo rocks glass? Any short, heavy tumbler.
- Ice
- One large cube
- Garnish
- Orange twistOr: A cocktail cherry.
What you need to make an Old Fashioned
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- A bourbon at 45% or aboveBuffalo Trace or Woodford Reserve both work. Higher strength holds up as the ice melts.Find it on Amazon
- Angostura bittersThe classic and essential bitters here.Find it on Amazon
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The Old Fashioned story
The recipe is older than its name. An 1806 American newspaper defined a cocktail as spirit, sugar, water and bitters, which is what an Old Fashioned still is. People later started asking for the 'old fashioned' version when bartenders added more and more extras. Louisville's Pendennis Club claims to have invented the name in the 1880s, but accounts disagree.
There is nothing to hide behind, so each part matters. Dissolve the sugar before the spirit goes in, stir slowly and keep it cold. Rye gives a drier, spicier drink, and a dash of orange bitters adds brightness.
Old Fashioned: your questions answered
What is in an Old Fashioned?
An Old Fashioned is made with 50 ml bourbon, a sugar cube and 3 dashes of Angostura bitters. Garnish: orange twist.
Is an Old Fashioned shaken or stirred?
An Old Fashioned is stirred, not shaken. Stirring with ice chills and dilutes it while keeping the drink clear and smooth. Shaking would cloud it and add tiny air bubbles, which suits citrus drinks but not this one.
How strong is an Old Fashioned?
Made to this recipe, an Old Fashioned contains about 2 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve an Old Fashioned in?
Serve an Old Fashioned in a rocks glass over ice. No rocks glass? Any short, heavy tumbler.
