How Do You Make a Proper Old Fashioned?

Whisky, sugar, bitters and a twist of citrus, stirred over ice — one of the simplest classic cocktails, and one of the easiest to get slightly wrong.

The Old Fashioned is one of the oldest cocktail formats still in common use, and its simplicity means every ingredient really matters.

Classic recipe

• 60ml whisky (bourbon or rye is traditional; a good New Zealand whisky works well too)
• 1 sugar cube or ~5ml simple syrup
• 2 dashes aromatic bitters (an Angostura-style bitters is the classic choice)
• Orange peel, for garnish and aromatic oils
• Ice (ideally one large cube)

Method

1. Add the sugar cube (or syrup) and bitters to a mixing glass.
2. Add a splash of water and stir/muddle briefly to dissolve the sugar if using a cube.
3. Add the whisky and a large ice cube.
4. Stir gently for around 20–30 seconds to chill and slightly dilute.
5. Strain (or simply serve as-is if already built in the serving glass) over a fresh large ice cube in a rocks glass.
6. Express the oils from a piece of orange peel over the drink (twist it near the surface to release the aromatic oils), then either drop it in or use it purely as a garnish.

Common mistakes

• Over-diluting — stirring too long, or using small ice that melts fast, waters the drink down too much.
• Too much sugar — an Old Fashioned should taste primarily of whisky, with sugar and bitters balancing rather than dominating.
• Skipping the citrus oils — the orange peel's aromatic oils are a key part of the drink's smell and first impression; don't skip expressing them over the glass.

Whisky choice

A bolder, higher-proof whisky generally holds up better in an Old Fashioned than a very delicate or expensive single malt, since the sugar, bitters and dilution will all interact with (and soften) the spirit's character.