The humble old fashioned. One of the simplest and most classic of cocktails, and also a personal favorite. It would be amiss for me not to share the recipe for making a proper old fashioned. So, in honor of World Cocktail Day* (May 13th), here is the recipe for the timeless old fashioned. If you’d like some additional reading and recipes, I highly suggest Robert Simonson’s book, The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World’s First Classic Cocktail, with Recipes and Lore.
*Some of the earliest mention of the word “cocktail” is found in the Balance & Columbian Repository Volume 5, May 13, 1806 . You can actually read the full text on Google for free, or check out this cleaned up scan of that single section on Wikipedia.
Cheers!
The Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 teaspoon demerara syrup
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions
- Build the drink in a rocks glass by pouring ingredients over a large ice cube.
- Stir until chilled and garnish with an expressed orange peel and cherry.
Additional Resources:
I did a write up on Robert Simonson and his book when he was on tour after its release. The contest is no longer running, but the article still lives here.
