Old Fashioned, Brandy Or Whiskey Recipe

Choose your base spirit: 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey for a Whiskey Old Fashioned, or 2 oz brandy for a Brandy Old Fashioned.

Sweetener and bitters

If using simple syrup: add 0.5 tsp simple syrup to a mixing glass or the serving (old-fashioned) glass. If using a sugar cube: place the sugar cube in the glass and add a small splash (about 1/4 tsp) of water, then add 2 dashes Angostura bitters and 1 dash orange bitters (optional). Muddle the sugar cube with the bitters and water until mostly dissolved and pasty.

Combine spirit and ice

Add 2 oz (60 ml) of your chosen spirit to the mixing glass or serving glass. If you prepared the sugar in the serving glass, proceed there. Add a large ice cube or several large cubes to the glass.

Stir (if prepared in a mixing glass)

If you mixed the sugar and spirit in a mixing glass, fill the mixing glass with ice and stir gently for about 20–30 seconds (15–20 full stirs) until the drink is well chilled and slightly diluted. If you prepared everything directly in the serving glass, a gentle stir with a bar spoon for 10–15 seconds is sufficient.

Strain and serve (if using mixing glass)

If you used a mixing glass, strain the chilled cocktail over a fresh large ice cube in an old-fashioned (rocks) glass. If you made the drink in the serving glass, it is already over ice.

Garnish and finish

Express the orange peel over the drink by holding the peel with the outside skin facing down over the glass and giving it a firm squeeze to spray the oils onto the surface. Run the peel around the rim if desired, then drop the peel into the glass. Add one maraschino or Luxardo cherry if desired. Give a final gentle stir to incorporate the garnish oils.

Adjustment: increase simple syrup to 3/4 tsp for a sweeter drink; reduce to 1/4 tsp for drier. Substitute orange bitters (1 dash) for a fruitier aroma. For a stronger aroma, flame the expressed orange peel briefly over the glass (optional and requires care).