Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
A timeless whiskey cocktail built with sugar, bitters, and citrus oils—simple, balanced, and spirit-forward. Stirred over a large cube and finished with an expressed orange peel.
Equipment
- Rocks glass
- Mixing glass or sturdy container
- Bar spoon
- Muddler
- Jigger
- Peeler or knife
- Large ice cube
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey spicier with rye; rounder with bourbon
- 1 cube sugar or 1/2 tsp brown sugar or 1/4 oz simple syrup
- 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters add 1 dash orange bitters if desired
- water a few drops to help dissolve sugar
- orange peel expressed, for garnish
- cocktail cherry optional, for garnish
- ice cubes large clear cube preferred
Instructions
- Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass. Add bitters and a few drops of water.
- Muddle until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
- Add the whiskey and stir gently to combine.
- Add a large ice cube (or two smaller cubes) and stir about 20 seconds to chill and dilute.
- Express the orange peel over the drink, rub the rim, and drop it in. Add an optional cherry.
Notes
Use clear, large ice for slower dilution. Adjust sweetness by choosing sugar cube vs. simple syrup. Rye whiskey yields a spicier profile, while bourbon drinks smoother and sweeter.