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THE Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is my favorite cocktail of all time. When friends or family are coming to visit, more often than not we find ourselves around my tiny island in the kitchen preparing this most classic of libations.
Purists say that the original Old Fashioned contains whiskey, water, sugar, bitters, and an orange peel. I have modified this classic recipe by omitting the water, improving on plain white sugar, adding some flavorful bitters, adding a lemon rind, and adding a spiced, boozy bourbon cherry (coming soon to this site).
Here is what I consider to be the definitive Old Fashioned:
Ingredients:
As for the rye or bourbon, your choices are endless, but I’ll list a few of my favorites:
Rye: Wild Turkey, Sazerac, Old Overholt
Bourbon: Wild Turkey, Elmer T. Lee, Buffalo Trace, BirdDog
Mixology: Stir the bourbon/rye, bitters and demerara syrup over ice for at least 30 seconds, then strain into a double rocks glass over one large ice cube. Express oils from the orange and lemon rinds over the glass and garnish with the twists. Add a cherry and if you like a little more sweetness, a hint of the cherry syrup.
You will notice that the flavor profile of this cocktail will change from the first sip to the last as the ice cube melts and dilution occurs. I like to think that at the first sip, this cocktail is at 85% of its potential. After holding the glass for a minute or two and the body heat from your hand melting the ice slightly, the cocktail approaches maximum flavor and spirit opens up.
Kick back and enjoy an Old Fashioned – if you’re a rye or bourbon fan, it won’t be your last.
Miscellaneous Awesome Products
Bourbon Cherries (coming soon!)
