Why I Chose Bulleit Straight Bourbon
Bulleit Straight Bourbon offers a unique and interesting taste for those who are interested in being able to enjoy a great old fashioned. This bourbon will help to ensure that you have an old fashioned that has a lot of spicy flavors as it is loaded with both black pepper and ginger. One of the things that make Bulleit Bourbon unique is that it is made with a high rye mashbill. This means that it has more of the pepper flavors of a traditional rye whiskey along with the smooth and mellow flavors of vanilla and caramel corn that come with a bourbon.
Bitters Orange And Cherries
We add two to three dashes of bitters. Our standby is Angostura bitters, but one look in a well stocked store or online proves there are lots to experiment with.
Depending on who makes it, the amount of fruit added to an Old Fashioned varies. Weve seen everything from multiple slices of orange and an abundance of cherries muddled together then;served in the glass to an Old Fashioned with no fruit whatsoever.
We like somewhere in between. A 2-inch piece;of orange or blood orange peel;and a cherry and were happy.
If were feeling feisty, well go for a flaming orange twist. To do it, take;a coin-sized slice of orange peel , squeeze it between your fingers and light a match or lighter next to it .
The oils will spark and flame out. If you do all of this close to or over the glass, a toasted;orange aroma will fall down over the drink.;We dont add the flamed peel to the drink, but rubbing the flamed peel around the rim of the;glass is a nice touch.
The flavor and aroma of the drink really changes and while we dont do this all the time, its;fun to experience;the difference.
The Best And Worst Whiskeys To Put In An Old
The old fashioned is a cocktail that is made with whiskey and citrus rinds to add bitters. As whiskey is the main ingredient, it is on the stronger side of cocktails. For fans of the old fashioned, or those interested in trying it for the first time, the type of whiskey used is an important factor in how the drink comes out.
The best whiskeys to use are:
Buffalo Trace Bourbon. This whiskey has notes of caramel and vanilla. It will give you a smooth old fashioned, but with hints of spice . It is great served on the rocks and gives a bit of sophistication to the drink. Also, this is the most affordable whiskey to have on hand for dinner parties .
Four Roses Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This whiskey has notes of butterscotch and caramel, with a hint of spice and red berries. It is an ideal whiskey for mixing and will result in an old fashioned that is light and mellow. Using a citrus garnish will further bring out the flavors .
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Did You Make This Recipe
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If you like this cocktail, you may love these as well…
The Bourbon Arnold Palmer is the perfect summer drink for bourbon and whiskey lovers. It’s a refreshing summer treat made with lemonade and sweet tea!
This Kentucky Lemonade is a little like the Arnold Palmer without the sweet tea. It’s best made with good bourbon, and can be enjoyed all year round!
The Classic Mint Julep is a delicious Kentucky Derby inspired cocktail that is typically served in a silver julep cup, but no worries…this delicious concoction can be enjoyed in any glass you have!
History Of The Old Fashioned
The roots of the Old Fashioned extend as far back as the original concept of what we know as a cocktail, however the Old Fashioned itself truly came into form in the 1880s. The drink was named to denote, as Wondrich explains, the Old-Fashioned way of making cocktails. Even in the early days of the cocktail then, it seems that a growing contingent of enthusiasts were already fed up with the fancification of their booze.
The Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky lays claim to having invented the drink in 1881 for the same reason; in the quest of a cocktail made in the old fashioned way. However, this claim falls somewhere between unproven and factually incorrect depending on whom and what you care to believe. In either case, there’s no known reference to The Pendennis Clubs supposed 1881 invention until half a century later, in 1931.
Murky origins:;Some claim Louisvilles;Pendennis Club is the birthplace of the Old Fashioned
What is certain is that the drink is the descendent of the Whiskey Cocktail, which was created by Jerry Thomas, the man viewed today as the forebear of modern bartending. In his seminal 1862 guide, Thomas lists the cocktails ingredients as having gum syrup, Bogart’s bitters, whisky and a piece of lemon peel, shaken with fine ice and then strained.
Spoon or not, Kappelers Old-Fashioned is for all intents and purposes the Old Fashioned its essentially the exact same recipe laid out in the beginning of this article.
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More Quality Whiskeys For Your Old Fashioned
Bulleit Straight Bourbon Frontier Whiskey. This whiskey has a higher rye content than most, which contributes to an improved balance between the sugar and whiskey. The whiskey is also spicier than others, with a more oaky flavor. It has notes of ginger, black pepper, and vanilla.
Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. This whiskey works great in an old fashioned by giving more depth of flavor than would be expected at the price point . The whiskey features notes of vanilla, molasses, and maple, and is a whiskey of choice at influential cocktail bars.
Rittenhouse Rye. This is an affordable whiskey with notes of pepper, oak, caramel, spice, and a hint of fruit. It has a drier finish . This is the whiskey for people who aren’t big fans of whiskey. It is also the whiskey of choice for Don Draper of Mad Men.
Why I Chose Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon
I chose Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon for a number of reasons. This is the entry level bourbon from the brand. This is delicious and allows you to be able to enjoy a good bourbon for a reasonable amount of money as it is not an expensive choice. I feel like this is the brandâs choice that is the most delicious. The bourbon has really delicious notes that are floral and fruity.
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Four Roses Small Batch
Small batch may not be a legal term, but what youll find in the Four Roses bottle will taste spot-on. Caramel, butterscotch, undercut by spice and a prickle of red berries.
What I really like about this version of the cocktail is that the oak flavors that are present in the base whiskey balance really nicely with the brighter and crisper bitters and orange zest. Its more of an earthy take on the Old Fashioned, but just as delicious and enjoyable.
As for the other flavors, the caramel and vanilla also stay present and make for a particularly sweet drink when combined with the sugar cube. Its one where you can probably get away with skimping on the added sweetness, but it does need a little bit to be perfect. And, of course, that peppery spice is still there making itself known.
How much does Four Roses Small Batch
Four Roses Small Batch costs around $35 per bottle
The Main Features Of Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon
One of the things that you should note is that how you are garnishing the old fashioned can change based on the bourbon that you choose. The delicious flavors of the bourbon are enhanced with a citrus or edible flower garnish that is going to boost those flavors. This is one of the most delicious choices for being able to enjoy as a go to.
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Where Can You Find Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon
Jim Beam Bonded Bourbon is easy to find. Since it is the most popular bourbon in America, there is no liquor store, gas station, or grocery store that carries liquor that does not have this bottle. However, if you want to be certain that the liquor store in your neighborhood does indeed carry it, you can check out their website locator here. They actually allow you to locate a bottle based on your choice so you are not just going to get the brand when you find a place, but the bottle that you want.
How To Make An Old Fashioned
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How To Make A Bourbon Old Fashioned
Step 1 – Add the biggest piece of ice you can to an Old Fashioned glass. If you don’t have a round ice mold, just use as little ice as possible so it won’t dilute the bourbon.
Step 2 – Either add 2 sugar cubes and a splash of water or 1 ½ ounces of simple syrup to the glass.
Step 3 – Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and an orange peel, and stir.
Step 4 – Add ice.
Step 5 – Add 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon or whiskey and let sit for a moment, then gently stir so the flavors combine. Enjoy!
What Is An Old Fashioned
Old fashioneds were one of the first cocktails ever developed, back in the day when the whiskey wasnt too good and the liqueur selection was slim to nil. The old fashioned cocktail actually predates prohibition, going way back to some of the first cocktails. Originally they were made with gin, brandy, or whiskey as well, but these days, we know them only with whiskey, usually bourbon, sometimes rye.
They are smoky, spicy, a tiny bit sweet, very smooth, and incredibly strong.
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The 11 Best Bourbonsfor An Old Fashioned
There is no bad bourbon. There are only some bourbons that arent as good as others.-Raymon Chandler
Yes, the bourbon quality is important. But selecting the best bourbon for an old fashioned means considering many things, like your budget, tasting notes, how practical you want to be, and of course, personal preference.
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Before we get to the list of the 11 best bourbons for an Old Fashioned, one quick note- I dont believe in wasting an expensive bourbon making an Old Fashioned . Which is why you wont find anything over $50 on this list. $50 is the absolute max I would spend on a bourbon if I knew I was using it to make an Old Fashioned. Anything more expensive than that seems like a waste of the taste .
I know youre here to learn about the best bourbons for an Old Fashioned, but before you do, its important you know how to make one one.;
The 11 Best Bourbons For An Old Fashioned
When considering the best bourbon for an Old Fashioned it goes without saying, but a quality bourbon is essential here, even more so than many other cocktails. Yet, with so many bourbons to choose from, where to start?; Thats a great question and why we put together this list of the 11 best bourbons for an Old Fashioned.
Each bourbon listed below is both readily available and of high quality. But most importantly, any bourbon listed below will take your Old Fashioned game to the next level! If youre looking for the best bourbon for an Old Fashionedyouve come to the right place.
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Elijah Craig Small Batch
Elijah Craig bourbon is named after a Baptist preacher who lived in Kentucky in the 19th century, widely known as the Father of Bourbon. Keeping with tradition, this whiskey is a truly exceptional bourbon for its price.
Elijah Craig is a strictly maintained small batch, distilled, aged, and bottled in Kentucky from a traditional Bourbon mashbill of 78% Corn, 10% Rye and 12% Malted Barley and then aged for 8 to 12 years in #3 char new American oak barrels. ;As a result, each batch is unique yet consistently sweet and smooth. The hints of vanilla, caramel, and fruit complete Elijah Craig bourbon in stellar fashion.
How much does Elijah Craig cost?
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon costs around $35 per bottle.;
Whiskey Old Fashioned Sour
When I lived in Wisconsin, supper clubs were a thing!;Going to Friday night fish fry’s was a blast! If you’ve never been to a supper club in the midwest, Wisconsin does it right.
You order your dinner and drinks in the bar and when your meal is ready, you’re called to your table. Which seems kinda opposite, right? But it was a great opportunity to relax and visit with friends before the meal.
A Whiskey Old Fashioned Sour quickly became my cocktail of choice! Classically this drink would be served with pickled brussels sprouts, mushrooms or asparagus or green olives.
This cocktail can be served sweet – using brandy, a sugar cube and a maraschino cherry – or sour with whiskey and there’s something about that sour that made it my favorite!
Whiskey Old Fashioned Sour starts with a great whiskey!
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Old Fashioned Cocktails Are The Best
For me, old fashioneds are the perfect drink. Simple with few ingredients that are more than the sum of its parts, and never trying to hide that its alcohol.
Whenever Im at a new bar, I always order an old fashioned. The way every bar does something different with the same recipe is so interesting. Unlike ordering a specific drink that you love or something off the menu, you have a good frame of reference while letting the bar run free with their energy and creativity.
At home, I usually reach for an old fashioned as well, not just because we dont keep fresh fruits around or dozens of specialty liqueurs, but because theres something satisfying about perfecting something so simple.
Which One Is Older
The Old Fashioned, which Esquire calls “basically the OG cocktail,” is the winner here. The first reference to it was in a May 13, 1806 edition of a newspaper called the Balance and Columbian Repository in which the paper’s editor referred to a “cocktail” as consisting of spirits, bitters, water, and sugar. The “Old Fashioned” name came a while later, in 1881, when a bartender at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky mixed the drink with bourbon, bitters, club soda, muddled sugar, and ice to honor Colonel James E. Pepper, a prominent bourbon distiller, who eventually brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.
The Manhattan, meanwhile, was probably created in the mid-19th century. William F. Mulhall, a bartender who mixed drinks at New Yorks Hoffman House starting in the early 1880s, wrote: “The Manhattan cocktail was invented by a man named Black, who kept a place ten doors below Houston Street on Broadway in the sixtiesprobably the most famous drink in the world in its time,” .
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Variations On An Old Fashioned
“In the early cocktail culture, old fashioneds were strictly designated for just whiskey,” says Baker. “Now, is used to describe a style of a cocktail, so you could technically use any spirit and turn it into an old fashioned.”
Some popular variations include:
Quick tip: There are a few ways to balance your cocktail if it isn’t quite right, according to Baker.
- If it is too sweet, add a couple more dashes of bitters
- If it is too strong, put it back into the mixing glass over ice and stir it for another 5 seconds.
- If it is too bitter, add another 0.25 ounces more of sweetener.
The Classic Old Fashioned Recipe
The basic Old Fashioned combines whisky with bitters, sugar and a citrus peel garnish. It is usually served in a tumbler or rocks glass;over ice.
Ingredients:1 teaspoon sugar/ sugar cubeLemon or orange peel
Method:The bitters are traditionally Angostura, while the sugar;could come in the form of a sugar cube, sugar granules or even a simple syrup . Mix/ muddle the sugar and bitters together in a tumbler a drop of water here can help dissolve the sugar.
Add a pour of whisky and a few cubes of;ice, stir;and garnish with a lemon or orange peel twist. Today, an orange peel seems to be more fashionable than a lemon peel, though its a matter of personal preference. For instance, cocktail and spirits historian David Wondrich mentions in his book Imbibe! he prefers a lemon peel with rye whisky, and an orange peel with Bourbon.
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What Is The Best Bourbon Whiskey
There are not many drinks that are primarily popular in America. One of those unique drinks is bourbon whiskey. The rest of the world has even recognized that the bourbons that are in the United States are far superior to anything anywhere else in the world. Most of the best bourbons are made in Kentucky. While there are some companies producing bourbons in other states, these are all still using the methods that were developed in Kentucky and part of what made Kentucky known for bourbon around the world.
So, I will share my personal top ten bourbon whiskeys.