Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is one of the oldest cocktails there is, dating back to the 1800's. Its appeal has not diminished over time and it is as popular today as it ever was. Made from a simple combination of whiskey, bitters and sugar, it has a lovely smooth whiskey flavour without the harshness of drinking the whiskey straight. This recipe is from my brother David, who is obsessed with this drink. Any occasion, no matter how minor is always an excuse to make merry with one of these delicious cocktails. He was good enough to share his recipe with me and I am now sharing it with you. Enjoy!
Ingredients
50ml Irish whiskey (can be substituted for bourbon)
Ice (bigger chunks are better)
Orange Bitters (Angostura Bitters are a good substitute)
Simple Syrup (note in method)
Prep Time: 1 minute (simple syrup will take 15 - 20 minutes to cool)
Serves: Makes 1 Cocktail
Method
To make the simple syrup, combine equal parts white sugar and boiling water and stir so the sugar dissolves, half a cup of each will make enough syrup for several cocktails. Allow to cool before using. You can use demerara sugar if you want it to have more of a hint of caramel
Put enough ice to fill your glass in a cocktail mixer
Add 50ml of whiskey, 4 dashes of bitters and 10 - 20ml of the simple syrup. How much syrup will depend on how sweet you want the cocktail to be. I prefer it to not be too sweet so I go for 10ml
Stir the mixture for about a minute and make sure its really cold
Pour into your glass and add more ice if necessary
Cut a strip of zest from an orange with a very sharp knife, you want to rub the inside of the zest around the rim of the glass, this step is really important and really gives the drink a strong orange flavour while you sip it. Give it a twist and drop on top of the drink as a garnish
Taste and if it is too sweet add a bit more whiskey, or add some more syrup if it tastes too strong
Serve and enjoy!