When things get stressy, and they certainly are in these covid-19 days, something simple, direct, and effective seems to be in order. And that’s the Old Fashioned to a tee. Think of it as comfort food in cocktail form.
It’s nothing more than a slug of whiskey with sugar and bitters. Basic. Yet it tastes delicious and sophisticated, and perhaps that’s why it has remained popular with tipplers from the early days of the nineteenth century up to the present moment. That’s 200 years of happy drinking. Can’t argue with that!
So, a couple of pointers. Always use good bourbon. The kind you’d sip neat or on the rocks. Middle grade spirits are fine in drinks that combine lots of flavors, but in an Old Fashioned the whiskey is the star (like the gin in a Martini), so make it the good stuff.
Then there’s the sugar. There are two views on this subject: simple syrup or muddled sugar. Simple syrup is quicker and easier, and really tastes the same, but the classic version uses a sugar cube or loose sugar and water muddled with the bitters. Suit yourself, but why not try the classic version first and go from there
Old Fashioned
Half teaspoon sugar, or one sugar cube
1 teaspoon water
3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 ounces bourbon
Put the sugar, water (or a teaspoon of simple syrup), and bitters into a rocks glass, and stir until sugar is nearly dissolved. Fill the glass with large ice cubes, add the bourbon, and stir gently to combine the flavors and get it good and cold.
Orange peel for garnish. Twist to express the oil before dropping it in.