Drinks
OLD FASHIONED
Classic
Old Fashioned INGREDIENTS
- 50ml Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel Whisky
- 1 Brown Cane Sugar Cube
- 4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- Orange peel, To Garnish
- Ice Cube
How to make an Old Fashioned
- Add the sugar cube to a rocks glass and soak with the bitters
- Muddle (smash) into a paste, add Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel and stir well to dissolve the sugar
- Continue to gently stir and add the ice
- Garnish with orange peel
What does an Old Fashioned taste like?
A classic Old Fashioned is a short cocktail that strikes the perfect balance of sweet, spicy and smooth. The blend of bitters and Scotch creates a rich, intense serve, sweetened by the addition of a muddled sugar cube and Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel for a honeyed, smooth finish. But if you like your drinks super sugared, there are a few fun ways to make an Old Fashioned even sweeter. Try yours with a dash of honey or maple syrup, a popular Canadian twist. Or get fruity with extra orange, a smash of blueberry or turn heads with our Apple Cider Old Fashioned.
How to order an Old Fashioned in a bar
There’s no wrong way to order an Old Fashioned, simply state what you want and how you want it. Start by saying the type of whisky you fancy, followed by any tweaks you want to make. It could be with a twist, an extra dash of bitters or syrup instead of sugar.
Not sure where to start? Stick to a classic with our go-to order… ‘Pour me an Old Fashioned with Ballantine’s and an orange twist thanks’. Discover more ways to order scotch at a bar.
Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel
Old Fashioned: a cocktail history lesson
The Old Fashioned is where it all started. The classic four-ingredient combo (spirit, sugar, water and bitters) was the first official ‘cock-tail’, as referenced by a reader of a New York newspaper. But aside from this initial mention, the history of the Old Fashioned is an uncertain one.
Some say the Old Fashioned originated in late 17th century London around the time aromatic bitters came to town. Others claim it all began with the bartender James E. Pepper in 1880, who served it to guests of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Bar after discovering the drink in a Louisville private social club. (Louisville are pretty confident the latter is the truth, declaring it their official cocktail in 2015, and whose to argue?).
Either way, the Old Fashioned continued to gain a must-try reputation, becoming an iconic Prohibition-Era cocktail and staple on every bar menu across the world. And despite its name, there’s nothing uncool about it. Over the last few hundred years, bartenders have been mixing up their own versions, many of which are classics in their own right. So, how will you drink it?
RATE THIS COCKTAIL
There are no criteria setup. Please configure the reviews plugin for this post type.
Avg. rating
Based on Ratings
SMOOTH AS ANYTHING, MIXES WITH EVERYTHING
10 best classic whisky based cocktails
Here’s our shortlist of the top 10 classic whisky drinks. Each recipe is easy enough to make at home and add to your cocktail creating repertoire.
Find out more