Name: Brandy Old Fashioned (Wisconsin-style)
Total time: 3 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 1 wedge Orange (fresh); 1 whole Maraschino cherry; 5 ml Brown sugar syrup; 2 dash Aromatic bitters; 60 ml Cognac (brandy)

Brandy Old Fashioned (Wisconsin-style)
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Brandy Old Fashioned (Wisconsin-style) image

Photographed in an UB Qubo Old Fashioned 8oz

Ingredients:
1 wedge	Orange (fresh)
1 whole	Maraschino cherry (from jar in syrup)
¹⁄₆ oz	Demerara/Muscovado/brown sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
2 dash	Angostura Aromatic Bitters
2 oz	Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. cognac

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
Prepare garnish of skewered orange slice wheel and Luxardo Maraschino Cherry (sail).
MUDDLE first 4 ingredients in base of glass.
ADD brandy and 7oz scoop of crushed ice.
Garnish with skewered orange slice and maraschino cherry (sail).

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Brandy Old Fashioned (Wisconsin-style) lifestyle thumbnail

Review:

Fruity and lightly sweetened brandy cooled and diluted with crushed ice. What's not to like?

The Brandy Old-Fashioned is usually made using Californian bandy or another domestic brandy, and depending on the sweetness of your brandy you may want to reduce the sugar syrup in this recipe. Use a wedge, rather than a slice, of orange as when muddled a slice breaks up too much leaving unsightly debris in the drink.

In Wisconsin, the Brandy Old Fashioned is also usually finished with a splash of 7-Up or Sprite (if ordered "sweet"), or Squirt (if the bar call is "sour") or a combination of 7-Up/Sprite and soda water (if requested "press").

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History:

The muddled fruit Old-Fashioned seems to have arisen due to masking poor quality whiskey during Prohibition and in America lingered as the prevailing way to make an Old-Fashioned into the mid-1990s. Helped by Jeffrey Morganthaler, as muddling fruit in the whisky-based Old-Fashioned has faded so muddling fruit in the brandy brandy-based version has grown in popularity, particularly in Wisconsin where a Brandy Old-Fashioned is the state drink.

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Toby James

29th March at 03:07

I was a little disappointed by this—at least the one I made, so pilot error is very possible. Can't help but wonder, having googled "Squirt drink" —safesearch ON for the love of God—if a wee splash of grapefruit soda might be fun. Next time.

Ben Hall

23rd October 2022 at 08:24

I tried this last night. I thought it would be good smoked, so I added quite a bit of rosemary in the glass, lit it with a blowtorch and stuck a cloche on top. It was delicious.

gary booker

18th January 2021 at 21:03

If you ask for an Old Fashioned in Wisconsin they ask “brandy or whiskey” and “Sweet or dry”. The brandy is almost always Korbel. The sweet has some Seven Up (lemonade), the dry has sweet and sour mix added. Both are quite a long drink.

Rachel L

14th December 2024 at 18:36

My family either uses 7-up or Sprite and it is a long drink. I have one aunt who refers to these as 'truth serums' because they will get tongues wagging after about two.

Jesse Allhands

12th April 2023 at 20:03

Spent most of my life in Wisconsin and observed this: When it comes to brandy old fashioneds bartenders in Wisconsin tend to offer 3 options: sweet, sour, or press. Korbel is the most popular brandy in Wisconsin for old fashioneds and will go with that by default, but people have widely differing opinions on whether to use sprite, 7-up, squirt, or 50/50. Basic maraschino cocktail cherries are generally preferred over luxardo or similar.