You’re at the bar. You order an Old Fashioned. The bartender reaches for whiskey, bitters, and sugar. Simple. That’s exactly what you wanted… If you’ve spent years wondering why this drink has stuck around since the 1880s, or if you want to make one at home that actually tastes good, we’ve got what you need. We know what works, and we’re sharing it.
The Old Fashioned is a test. It shows your ingredients and your attention to detail. There’s nowhere to hide with bourbon, bitters, and ice. That’s why we respect it.
What Is an Old Fashioned Cocktail?
Quick Answer: The Old Fashioned is a whiskey cocktail built on the principle that less is more. Born in Louisville, Kentucky, at the Pendennis Club in the 1880s, though cocktail historians dispute this, the drink emerged as a reaction to the increasingly elaborate cocktails of the era. What’s certain: by the late 1800s, drinkers were tired of fancy cocktails. People asked for their whiskey drinks made “old-fashioned” – just spirit, sugar, bitters, and water. The name eventually became synonymous with the drink itself. It’s the drink that defined what a cocktail could be: a marriage of spirit, sugar, bitters, and ice, nothing more.
What makes it legendary? The Old Fashioned doesn’t apologize. It doesn’t hide behind citrus or cream. Instead, it lets quality whiskey be the main character, supported by just enough sweetness and aromatic bitters to create a harmonious whole.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make an Old Fashioned Cocktail
How to Make an Iconic Old Fashioned
- Add sugar and bitters to a rocks glass. Add a splash of water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Pour in the whiskey and stir to combine.
- Add ice.
- Stir gently for 15–20 seconds to chill the drink.
- Express the orange peel over the glass, drop it in, and add the cherry.
- Serve and drink.
Bartender’s Tips
- Tip 1: Dissolve the sugar before the whiskey. Adding water first helps the sugar actually dissolve. It sounds wrong, but it works.
- Tip 2: Chill the glass. Rub ice inside a rocks glass for 10 seconds, then dump it. Cold glass keeps the drink cold.
- Tip 3: Stir, don’t shake. Shaking adds too much air and ice melt.
- Tip 4: Use decent ice. Large, clear ice cubes keep the drink colder longer. Worth it.
- Tip 5: Try different whiskeys. Once you’ve made it with bourbon, try rye, then single malt. Same recipe, different character. Want to see how a rye-forward approach works in other drinks? Check out our Sazerac and Manhattan recipes.
How to serve this cocktail
Rocks glass. No straw. That’s it. It’s the only vessel that makes sense. Serve it to yourself or to someone who appreciates the difference between good and lazy.
More Cocktail Recipes
Once you’ve got the Old Fashioned down, there’s a whole family of whiskey drinks waiting. The Sazerac shows you what happens when you add absinthe. The Manhattan brings vermouth into the picture. The Whiskey Smash proves why fresh citrus matters. Each one teaches you something different about balance.
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Classic Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1-2 tsp sugar
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- Splash of water or soda
- Orange peel and cocktail cherry for garnish
Instructions
- Add sugar and bitters to a rocks glass. Add a splash of water and stir until the sugar begins to dissolve.
- Add whiskey and a large ice cube (or a few smaller ones).
- Stir gently for 15–20 seconds.
- Express an orange peel over the glass and drop it in. Add a cherry if you like.
Video
Recipe FAQs
Bourbon and rye are traditional. Single malt Scotch and Irish whiskey work too. Pick one and commit to it.
Use 1 teaspoon of sugar instead of 2. You can add more; you can’t take it out.
No. The orange peel does the work. The cherry is optional.
No. Make it fresh. Ice melts, the drink dilutes and it’s not as enjoyable.
This is the OG, the foundation. Every other whiskey cocktail builds from here.
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