Old Fashion Recipe

Prep cherries

Pit 6 fresh cherries and place them in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 oz bourbon, and 1 tsp orange zest. Muddle gently a few times to release juices and dissolve sugar—do not puree. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes (or up to 2 hours refrigerated) so cherries release their syrup and absorb the bourbon flavor. Reserve cherries and any syrup for the cocktail and garnish.

Select an Old Fashioned (rocks) glass and add one large ice cube.

Place 2 macerated cherries into a mixing glass and add 0.25 oz simple syrup and 3 dashes hazelnut bitters. Muddle gently just to combine—again, avoid pulverizing the cherries; you want bits and syrup.

Add 2 oz Woodford Reserve and fill the mixing glass with ice. Stir briskly for 20–30 seconds until chilled and properly diluted (about 20–25 full rotations).

Strain the mixture into the prepared rocks glass over the large ice cube. Use a fine mesh or Hawthorne/strainer; small cherry bits are fine if you want extra fruit texture.

Express an orange peel over the drink by holding it skin-side down about 2–3 inches above the glass and giving it a sharp twist to release the oils across the surface. Rub the peel around the glass rim and drop it in as a garnish.

Float one macerated cherry on top and, if desired, add up to 1/2 tsp of reserved cherry syrup for extra sweetness and color.

Serve immediately with a short spoon or pick for the cherry.

For extra aroma, lightly toast the orange peel over a flame (optional) before expressing oils, or use a microplane to zest a little extra orange over the drink. Ensure the garnish components used are the same macerated cherries prepared earlier.