Whiskey, a touch of sugar and a few dashes of bitters over a single large cube — the Old Fashioned is the cocktail stripped to its frame, warm and spirit-forward, with just enough sweetness to round the bourbon's edges. The Angostura brings spice and depth, a twist of orange peel lifts the nose with bright citrus oil, and an optional brandied cherry adds a dark, fruity note as the slowly melting ice softens each sip.
Garnish: Orange Peel, Brandied Cherry
Stirred · Rocks · Large Cube
build
Combine bitters and sugar (or simple syrup) in a rocks glass; if using a sugar cube, saturate with the bitters and a splash of water and muddle until dissolved.
add
Add the whiskey and a large ice cube.
stir
Stir gently to chill and dilute, about 20–30 seconds.
express
Express an orange peel over the surface and drop it in.
garnish
Garnish with a brandied cherry if desired.
No one invented the Old Fashioned: its formula of spirit, sugar, bitters and water is simply what the word "cocktail" meant in the early 1800s, long before this drink carried a name of its own. The name had appeared by 1880 — the Chicago Daily Tribune mentioned "old fashioned cocktails" that February — as drinkers began asking for their whiskey made the old way rather than in the newer, fancier styles, and Theodore Proulx of Chicago printed the earliest recipe under that title in 1888. A much-repeated tale credits Louisville's Pendennis Club and James E. Pepper, but historian David Wondrich has declared it busted, since the club only opened in 1881, after the term was already in print. The drink now holds a place on the IBA's official list.