Retro Old Fashioned Recipe

Prepare glass and sugar

If you don't have pre-made simple syrup, dissolve 1 equal part granulated sugar in 1 equal part hot water (not included here) and cool. In an Old Fashioned (lowball) glass, add 0.25 oz simple syrup. If you are using granulated sugar instead of syrup, add one sugar cube (about 5 g) to the glass and pour 0.25 oz plain water over it to help it dissolve.

Add bitters and muddle

Add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters to the syrup or dissolved sugar in the glass. If using a sugar cube, gently muddle the sugar cube with the bitters and water until mostly dissolved. You want a syrupy mixture at the bottom of the glass.

Add whiskey and ice

Pour 2 oz rye whiskey (or bourbon, per preference) into the glass over the syrup-bitters mixture. Add one large ice cube (or 3–4 regular cubes).

Stir to chill and dilute

Using a bar spoon, stir the drink briskly for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full turns) until the outside of the glass feels cold and the drink has slight dilution and a silky texture. This integrates the syrup, bitters, and whiskey.

Express orange oils and garnish

Take one piece of orange peel (about 1.5–2 inches). Hold it with the outer skin facing down over the glass and give it a firm squeeze or a quick fold to express the citrus oils onto the surface of the drink. Run the peel around the rim of the glass, then drop it into the cocktail. Optionally add one Luxardo or maraschino cherry on a pick.

Serve immediately. Enjoy the Retro Old Fashioned slowly to appreciate the balance of whiskey, bitters, and just-sweetness from the syrup.