Old Fashioned

[Shave_Rat]

I recently discovered that I really love this classic cocktail, and settled on my (current) favorite method to make it. I use an Earl Grey tea simple syrup, orange bitters as well as standard bitters, and a full orange slice (yeah, I like mine with a heavy orange note). So far I settled on Maker's Mark as the spirit, but I did get to try one that used half Maker's Mark, and half Tin Cup Rye, which was really good as well.

Anyone else with any sort of off the beaten path for old fashion recipes? Or a spirit choice they prefer to use?

 

[Multum in parvo]

Rittenhouse Rye with Bitter Truth Bogart's Bitters, red Sugar Cane Syrup, Lemon Twist and Luxardo Cherries - simple but nice.

Once at a party I had to make do with two bar spoons full of Jägermeister instead of Bitters/Simple Syrup as the house bar was seriously depleted and in a general sorry state.

 

[Shave_Rat]

Rittenhouse Rye with Bitter Truth Bogart's Bitters, red Sugar Cane Syrup, Lemon Twist and Luxardo Cherries - simple but nice.

Once at a party I had to make do with two bar spoons full of Jägermeister instead of Bitters/Simple Syrup as the house bar was seriously depleted and in a general sorry state.

I would have simply found something different to make. lol I can't imagine Jagermeister working well flavor wise as a substitute.

I'll have to see about getting a small/airplane bottle of that rye to try out. I've had others say I should get those cherries as well for mine, I may do that as well.

 

[Multum in parvo]

I would have simply found something different to make. lol I can't imagine Jagermeister working well flavor wise as a substitute.

I'll have to see about getting a small/airplane bottle of that rye to try out. I've had others say I should get those cherries as well for mine, I may do that as well.

I would have simply found something different to make. lol I can't imagine Jagermeister working well flavor wise as a substitute.

I'll have to see about getting a small/airplane bottle of that rye to try out. I've had others say I should get those cherries as well for mine, I may do that as well.

Bogart‘s Bitters are also herbal without any citric notes so the Jager worked ok.

 

[ByMyBeard]

I'm typically too lazy to make a cocktail, and don't like keeping extra stuff around. When I do make one, I generally use a VERY small measure of simple syrup and 1.5-2oz of a high rye, high proof bourbon, which is my general preference. You may try using a higher proof version of Makers or another wheater like Larceny to see how they hold up. I find by the time the lower proof gets watered down, I don't enjoy it as much.

 

[Whisky]

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked isn’t what most people would consider a mixing Bourbon but it makes excellent Manhattans and Old Fashions.

Luxardo Cherries are great. If you can get you hands on some fresh sour cherries and Luxardo Liquor you can make your own pretty easily. I tend to like more cinnamon in my Luxardo’s than the store bought cherries have.

 

[TexLaw]

I love a good Old Fashioned (and, allow be to be fussly, but it is an "Old Fashioned"). My favorite whiskeys in an Old Fashioned tend to be bourbons with a fair amount of rye in the bill, but a lot depends on my mood at the moment.

Please keep it simple for me. Don't muddle any fruit into it, and (for the love of all that's holy) please do not squirt soda into it. I once ordered an Old Fashioned, and I was served something that looked more like a fizzy Mai Tai or Hurricane. Just don't do that. I choked it down because I was in something of a dive bar in something of a strange land, and the lady tending bar was even fussier than I am.

A few drops of water or so might be fine if the whiskey is higher proof, but keep your hands off the dadgum gun. Really, I don't need the water even if the proof is high. If it's too strong, the ice will melt enough in due course. The water really is there more for muddling the sugar cube. So many now make it with simple syrup these days that no muddling or water is required at all.

I love a good peel of orange zest in there, especially if it's wiped around the inside of the glass. I'm okay if it's a slice of orange, but a wedge is too much. I've had a dried orange slice tossed in there, and that was pretty cool in a dramatic sense but really not as good as fresh zest (not nearly as fragrant). Again, don't muddle it.

A Luxardo cherry is a fine garnish, and a maraschino one is okay. I'd say don't add any syrup, but a friend recently made a variation for me. He used a bit of Luxardo syrup as the SOLE sweetener, and that was kind of fun! I don't recall if used a 1/2 tsp or a full tsp, and I need to check on that.

Don't make it sweet, either. I usually specify that I want only half as much sugar or syrup. More and more bartenders reply that they don't use very much in the first place. I tend to trust them when I do, and that trust typically pays off. I'm very glad to see more getting back to the fact that this is a whiskey drink.

 

[alex1921]

I had one recently at a Japanese restaurant, 2 different Japanese whiskeys and umami bitters. An interesting twist.

 

[TexLaw]

I had one recently at a Japanese restaurant, 2 different Japanese whiskeys and umami bitters. An interesting twist.

That does sound interesting. I like folks playing around with bitters in an Old Fashioned as long as they don't get carried away and try to create some sort of whiskey punch.

I keep several kinds of bitters in the house, and it's always fun to see what they can do.

 

[FL shaver]

I was at a wedding recently. My son and son-in-law were heading to the bar for another round. We all wanted an Old Fashioned. They came back with brown in the glass with Luxardo cherries. Mine was bright orange with grocery store maraschino cherries muddled with a quarter of an orange slice at the bottom. And soda water, of course. They got the good bartender. I don't consider myself an Old Fashioned snob, but...

 

[bubo_strix]

The Wisconsin Old Fashioned is a whole different beast, made with muddled fruit, a splash of soda and usually made with brandy instead of whiskey/rye. Somehow a lot of dive bars adopted this style instead of the classic ‘whiskey, bitters, ice, twist of citrus and a cherry garnish’. I prefer the latter, I like an orange twist with bourbon and a lemon twist with rye. Lately Rittenhouse has been hitting the mark for me.

 

[ByMyBeard]

I recently saw that Bulleit has released a pre mixed Old Fashion with their bourbon, and a Manhattan with their rye. I didn't pick up either, but may consider it in the future. They were about $18, but pretty small.

 

[TexLaw]

I recently saw that Bulleit has released a pre mixed Old Fashion with their bourbon, and a Manhattan with their rye. I didn't pick up either, but may consider it in the future. They were about $18, but pretty small.

I haven't tried those, but every prepackaged cocktail I've ever tried has been too sweet for me (and some disgustingly so).

 

[The Knize]

I am not a fan of any pre-mixed cocktail I have ever tried. Why bother with pre-mixing an old-fashioned.

 

[LuckyR]

I recently discovered that I really love this classic cocktail, and settled on my (current) favorite method to make it. I use an Earl Grey tea simple syrup, orange bitters as well as standard bitters, and a full orange slice (yeah, I like mine with a heavy orange note). So far I settled on Maker's Mark as the spirit, but I did get to try one that used half Maker's Mark, and half Tin Cup Rye, which was really good as well.

Anyone else with any sort of off the beaten path for old fashion recipes? Or a spirit choice they prefer to use?

Agree with Makers for Old Fashioneds since it is a whiskey with a sweet note to it's taste.

 

[ByMyBeard]

FWIW - I've had 2 of the Bulleit pre-mixed Manhattan's recently. I had them both over ice, and only added a luxardo cherry (no intentional juice). I have to say it was pretty good, and certainly worth the price I paid for it. My only gripe may be that the proof is pretty low. I'm tempted to add some additional bourbon/rye next time.

Anyone know what the proof of a cocktail like an OF or Manhattan should be? Or perhaps more appropriate would be how much making the cocktail would reduce the proof, as your whiskey will ultimately determine where the proof lands.

 

[The Knize]

Or perhaps more appropriate would be how much making the cocktail would reduce the proof, as your whiskey will ultimately determine where the proof lands.

The reduction is not all that much. The only dilution in OF comes from ice melt and a very small amount of orange juice and bitters. I really have not tried to calculate how much ice melts into a drink like that! Easy enough to do, I guess. Weigh the drink before adding ice. Add the ice and wait a bit. Then pull the ice back out. Weigh the drink again. A fluid ounce of water weighes an ounce or 28.3 grams.

 

[Tirvine]

My son in law works at Milam and Green. Their Port finished barrel proof rye makes a heck of an old fashioned. More widely known, Old Forester rye. For a soft one for those who like bourbon, Evan Williams BIB is fine. My recipe is a scant finger of water, a scant teaspoon of turbinado sugar, a couple of shakes of Angostura, a Luxardo cherry, ice, and fill it up with whiskey.

 

[Merchant Seaman Z]

Pretty much all I drink. A simple no frills basic “Man” type drink. Easy to make with little ingredients. Only had one I didn’t really like. At an airport in Albuquerque. A lemon slice was used. A kinda sour/sweet drink. On the safe side. I ordered another one, to make sure. Didn’t like that version either. But makes a good story.

 

[camjr]

I'll make mine with Bulleit Rye or Basil Hayden Dark Rye. The Basil Haden Dark Rye is great for the cocktail because it has a splash of port to add a bit of sweetness that goes perfect with the simple syrup and Luxardo Cherries. I'll often smoke the cocktail with a bit of cherry wood.