Supper Club Old Fashioned Recipe

Prepare glass

If using the optional cherry wash, pour 0.25 oz cherry liqueur or a light cherry wash into the serving glass, swirl to coat the interior, then pour out any excess so the glass retains only a thin aroma of cherry.

Combine ingredients

In a mixing glass, add 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey, 3 dashes house-made bitters, and 0.25 oz simple syrup. Add a generous amount of ice (enough to fill the mixing glass).

Stir to chill and dilute

Stir the mixture for 20–30 seconds (about 15–20 full strokes) until well chilled and properly diluted (ice-cold to the touch and slightly frosted exterior on your mixing glass).

Strain and finish

Strain the chilled cocktail into the prepared old-fashioned glass over a single large ice cube or ice sphere.

Express and garnish

Hold an orange peel over the drink, skin side down, and firmly squeeze to express oils over the surface. Run the peel around the glass rim, then drop it into the drink. Garnish with one Luxardo or maraschino cherry on a pick.

Serve immediately, noting the balance: the whiskey's boldness with the house bitters' cherry notes and the simple syrup's subtle sweetness should present a rounded, slightly fruity Old Fashioned.

Quick cherry-forward aromatic bitters (small batch)

Combine 2 oz high-proof neutral spirits (e.g., 100–120 proof vodka or grain spirit) with 1 tsp dried cherry or 2 tsp chopped dried cherries, 1/2 tsp gentian root (bittering), 1/4 tsp dried orange peel, 1/8 tsp cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp clove in a sealed jar. Let steep in a cool, dark place for 7–14 days, shaking once daily. After steeping, strain through a fine mesh or coffee filter and add 1–2 tbsp filtered water and 1 tbsp simple syrup to round the bitterness and add slight sweetness. Add 20–40 drops per 2 oz spirit to approximate commercial bitters potency; adjust to taste. (Use 3 dashes in this recipe.)