Old Fashioned
Classicclassicstrongstirredspirit-forward
Ingredients
- Bourbon60 ml
- Sugar syrup10 ml
- Angostura Bitters2 dashes
Switch between ml and US units above. Recipes are designed for home mixing.
Glass
Rocks
Garnish
Orange peel
Method
- 01Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with a large ice cube.
- 02Stir for 20 seconds.
- 03Express an orange peel over the top.
About this drink
More on the Old Fashioned
What it tastes like
Rounded and gently sweet, with a dry, bittered backbone, served spirit-forward.
Why this recipe works
Stirring keeps the Old Fashioned silky and lets the spirit stay centre-stage — there's no citrus to froth, so dilution and chill come from gentle contact with ice rather than aeration. A small dash of bitters sharpens the edges and stops the sweetness reading flat.
Ingredient tips
- A standard 1:1 simple syrup works here. For more body, try 2:1 sugar to water and use slightly less.
When to serve it
Serve as a slow, spirit-forward sipper rather than a session drink.
Common mistakes
- Over-stirring. Stop once the outside of the mixing glass is cold and frosted — usually 20–30 seconds.
Variations to try
- Swap simple syrup for honey or demerara syrup to add weight and a darker, richer note.
- No sugar syrup? Try Sugar dissolved in water as a substitute (good swap).
Bartender's Notes
- Stir with plenty of ice until the glass feels properly cold — at least 20 seconds.
- Use one large ice cube; small cubes melt fast and water it down.
- Express the orange peel over the surface to release the oils, then drop it in.
Origin story
Recognised as one of the earliest known cocktails, the Old Fashioned traces back to 19th-century American whiskey bars and was named to distinguish it from newer, more elaborate drinks.
