How to Make The Perfect Old Fashioned
- Prep time: 3 minutes
- Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 2 oz Tennessee High Malt bourbon (I recommend using Chattanooga Whiskey’s Tennessee High Malt. Is that biased? Yes, but delicious too.)
- 1 tsp demerara simple syrup (or 1 demerara sugar cube)
- 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters (optional, highly recommended)
- 1 large clear ice cube (clear ice melts more slowly, allowing you to savor your Old Fashioned without it diluting!)
- 1 wide strip of fresh orange peel (garnish)
- 1 Luxardo maraschino cherry (optional garnish)
Instructions
1. Chill your glass — Place a heavy-bottomed rocks glass in the freezer for 2–3 minutes, or fill it with ice water while you prep.
2. Build the base — Discard the ice water. Add the demerara syrup and bitters directly to the glass. If using a sugar cube, add a small splash of water and muddle gently until fully dissolved.
3. Add your ice — Place one large clear ice cube into the glass.
4. Pour the whiskey — Pour the bourbon over the ice in a slow, steady stream.
5. Stir — Using a bar spoon, stir with slow, deliberate rotations for 20–30 seconds. You’re chilling and gently diluting, not shaking or bruising the spirit. Taste. If it still feels sharp, stir 5–10 more seconds.
6. Express and garnish — Hold the orange peel skin-side down over the glass and give it a firm squeeze to release the oils across the surface. Rub the peel around the rim, then place it in the drink. Add a cherry if desired, or go ahead and enjoy.
Notes
Whiskey: I recommend Chattanooga Whiskey’s Tennessee High Malt, a locally crafted, award-winning bourbon made in Chattanooga, TN. Its malt-forward profile with caramel and toasted grain notes is exceptional in an Old Fashioned.
Syrup: Demerara syrup (1:1 raw cane sugar + warm water) adds a subtle molasses depth that plain simple syrup lacks.
Ice: A large silicone ice cube mold makes a noticeable difference in dilution control.
Bitters: Two dashes of Angostura is classic. One additional dash of orange bitters (Regans’ or Fee Brothers) adds brightness that plays beautifully with the orange peel.
Important: Do not muddle an orange slice or cherry into the drink. Fruit is garnish only.