Perfect Old Fashioned Drink Recipe

Man, if there’s anything to celebrate in 2020, it’s that it’s over. And what better way to celebrate than with a good cocktail?

We wanted to take a deep dive and individually test each ingredient in a classic Old Fashioned to really come up with that cocktail bar-worthy beverage. Good news: We think we’ve done it.

In simple terms, an Old Fashioned is a cocktail made of bourbon, sugar, bitters, orange, and a cherry. But depending on quality and quantity of ingredients, you can get a pretty wide spectrum of flavors. So we did extensive testing to ensure we perfected the recipe.

The New Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

The first question we tried to answer was what kind of sugar tastes best in an Old Fashioned. The second question was if simple syrup or a sugar cube is superior. Therefore, we tested the following sugars in our cocktail:

It ended up being very difficult to get any of the sugar cubes to fully dissolve. We tried muddling them, adding them into some of the bourbon, and anything else we could think of. The best trick we had and one that can work in a pinch is to dissolve the sugar cube in hot water first. It’s sort of like a quick-and-easy simple syrup. It isn’t perfect, but it works if that’s all you have or you don’t want to make simple syrup.

In our testing, turbinado simple syrup made the best Old Fashioned. We tested turbinado sugar, organic cane sugar, and regular cane sugar simple syrup side by side in otherwise identical cocktails. Although any would work, the turbinado made a more complex Old Fashioned and ended up being the clear winner.

Classic Old Fashioned Cocktail

The organic cane sugar was a good alternative, but the regular cane sugar ended up lacking depth of flavor and would be our last choice.

Alternative sweeteners were okay, with agave being the best. We tested agave, maple syrup, and honey next to each other in otherwise identical cocktails. The honey was nearly impossible to dissolve. The maple syrup left an unpleasant, maple-y taste. The agave dissolved the best and was the best sugar alternative.

How much simple syrup should I add to my Old Fashioned? We found the sweet spot to be 2 teaspoons (or 2 bar spoons). Many recipes call for a single teaspoon, or you might prefer a sweeter drink, but we found 2 teaspoons really balanced the cocktail perfectly.

Brandy Old Fashioned Recipe

We tried as many bourbons as we could get our hands on that would be widely available. The bourbon you use will probably have the greatest impact on the taste of the drink. Using a local or small batch bourbon would also be a nice twist on this classic drink if you are able to locate one.

This was a fun experiment as most recipes just call for adding a marschino cherry or cocktail cherry. How much of a difference could it make?

Turns out, a huge difference. If the cherry is the “icing on the cake” of a cocktail, then you want to get it right.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

The biggest difference in cocktail cherries is the thickness of syrup. It was very interesting to learn that some cherries are dripping in syrup that resembles molasses and some are in a very light syrup that is closer to a light maple syrup.

Maraschino cherries are fine if that’s your only option, but they’re not preferred. Since this recipe is really taking that cocktail from “decent” to “I’d happily pay for that at a cocktail bar, ” this is one of those details that’s easy to overlook but can be a game changer. Getting a nice jar of cherries significantly improves the drink.

Our favorite “thick syrup” cherry was the Maraska. Maraska, Luxardo, and Fabbri are all decent cherries and enjoyable, but we’d go for Maraska if you can find them.

Old Fashioned Recipe

An orange peel spritzed over the drink was the perfect balance. Although muddling in an orange slice is a fun infusion, it too easily overpowered the drink and ruined the overall flavor.

Ice serves a basic purpose — a way to make a cold drink. But it also has the ability to elevate a drink to bar-style quality. You have a few options with your ice, but we have a preferred one for an Old Fashioned. Here’s what we tested:

A quick note on clear ice cubes. They melt slower and keep your drink cooler. Making clear ice cubes isn’t as easy as it sounds. Some of it comes down to the purity of the water, but the real trick to making clear ice at home is slowly chilling the water.

Wigle's 3 Favorite Ways To Make An Old Fashioned Drink

There are certainly some amazing craft bitters that are available, and we encourage you to try them if you find one of interest.

We did try some local craft bitters and they were fun, but our best results were using a combination of the above.

Our favorite blend was 3 dashes Angostura and 3 dashes orange bitters. The Fee Brothers Old Fashioned Bitters would work but ended up being a bit sweet when using our recommended simple syrup recipe.

Huskee's Perfect Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo#on Instagram. Cheers, friends!

The perfected recipe for how to make a bar-quality Old Fashioned cocktail at home, every time. Just 6 ingredients and simple methods required.

*To make simple syrup, add 1 part sugar (we prefer turbinado for complexity) and 1 part water to a small saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved. Cool, pour into a jar or squeeze bottle, and use as instructed. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. *Use organic turbinado sugar for homemade simple syrup if wanting to ensure recipe is vegan-friendly.

How To Make An Old Fashioned With Spiegelau Perfect Serve Collection

Serving: 1 cocktail Calories: 172 Carbohydrates: 8.4 g Protein: 0 g Fat: 0 g Saturated Fat: 0 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0 g Monounsaturated Fat: 0 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 1 mg Potassium: 2 mg Fiber: 0.1 g Sugar: 8.3 g Vitamin A: 1.94 IU Vitamin C: 27.72 mg Calcium: 2.32 mg Iron: 0.04 mgThis simple whiskey cocktail will forever and always be a favorite. Made simply with your choice of whiskey, bitters, sweetener, and an orange peel, this drink is easy to craft in just a few minutes. And it’s one of those satisfying, swanky cocktails that never goes out of style.

I’m partial to adding an orange twist, a chunky ice cube, and a Luxardo cherry to my old fashioned cocktails. But you’re welcome, of course, to garnish and serve yours however you please. I’ve included various options below for various types of whiskey and sweeteners that you can use. But I have to say that the classic bourbon and sugar cube combo will never let you down.

Before we get the full recipe below, here are a few notes about the old fashioned ingredients you will need to make this cocktail:

Maple Old Fashioned Recipe — Spirits — The Three Drinkers

When did the old fashioned cocktail originate? The historical origins of this cocktail are definitely murky, but it likely originated sometime during the mid-19th century. Here’s a great article about the “muddled” history of the old fashioned if you’d like to read more.

Is it best to use bourbon or rye for old fashioned cocktails? Up to you. Bourbon tends to be more sweet and full-bodied, whereas rye is drier, less sweet and can be a bit spicy.

What is the best bourbon for old fashioned cocktails? I recommend a high-proof bourbon with bold flavor notes, so that the bourbon flavor is not overpowered by the orange and bitters. Bulleit, Four Roses Single Barrel, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace are some widely-available bourbons that I always enjoy in this cocktail.

Oaxaca Old Fashioned Recipe

What is the best glass for an old fashioned? A lowball glass (also known as an old fashioned glass or a rocks glass) is traditionally used for this cocktail.

Does an old-fashioned need ice? You need ice to chill the cocktail. But you are welcome to strain out the ice before serving if you prefer.

Sweetener options: Feel free to use a different type of granulated sugar if you prefer, such as coconut sugar. Or you can sub in a liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or simple syrup, in which case you can just directly mix the sweetener and bitters in with the bourbon.

Brandy Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Orange peel: I also love to run the orange peel around the rim of the glass before mixing the drink to add an extra hint of orange flavor.Cambria has over 10 years of experience as a director, editor, and writer. She has held senior editorial roles at Apartment Therapy, Kitchn, and Simply Recipes.

What did the trendy cocktail say to the classic cocktail? I'm glad that you're Old Fashioned. And ... thank you, folks, that's all for tonight!

Even if you know nothing about cocktails, chances are you've at least heard of an Old Fashioned. Made with just four ingredients—whiskey, sugar, Angostura bitters, and an optional (but recommended) orange peel or Luxardo cherry garnish—the Old Fashioned is up there with other cocktail greats like the Manhattan, Negroni, and Sazerac.

Old Fashioned: Classic Recipe And Origins

The best whiskey for an Old Fashioned is ... the whiskey you like! Many reputable mixologists and