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Bourbon Old Fashioned

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (231)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
2 fl oz Bourbon whiskey
1/4 fl oz Demerara/Muscovado/brown sugar syrup (2 sugar to 1 water)
3 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters

How to make

Glassware

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill an OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.

Method

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 9/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Bourbon Old Fashioned contains 175 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.5 standard drinks
  • 31.55% alc./vol. (63.09° proof)
  • 21.6 grams of pure alcohol
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Review

Generous dashes of bitters add spice to delicately sweetened bourbon.

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Gallery

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Comments & Discussion

C1um5yBar5teward
I always used to use Buffalo Trace and monin cane sugar syrup. It was always nice until I ended up getting covid a dozen times and lost my sense of taste. When I got my taste buds back it just didn't really do anything for me. Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey 101 and Four Roses single barrel are what I reach for these days. The quarter ounce of simple is about right but I tend to go heavy on the Angostura bitters. About 8 dashes.
1
Egg McKenzie
i've just never made this cocktail work for me. i'm not going to give up just yet. we must ride again.
1
Leslie
(EVEN MORE) Mind blowing with La Fee Bros Black Walnut Bitters!
2
Chris Dimal
This comment is about another remake from a month ago. I made a Demerara syrup with a correct 2:1 ratio (constant checking over ensured that it dissolved correctly) and I made it as it is. Finally, I can understand why an Old Fashioned is so loved. The orange twist introduces a fresh fruity nose. The Bourbon then comes through, tempered by sweetness and botanicals of the bitters. Fantastic drink. I am glad to have remade the Demerara syrup and the drink itself!
6
John Hinojos
Perfect as an evening sipper on a cold, wet evening watching a live concert. The slight sweetness of the bourbon works perfectly with the syrup and bitters. On my favourites.
3
Chris Dimal
Not really related to the cocktail, but while making the Demerara sugar syrup (2:1), the mixture clumped up completely, making it unpourable. It was like a paste, and I ended up having to make it in the glass in order to dissolve the clumped sugar. Any advice? I get the usual good results with white sugar. Cocktail's still decent though.
2
Simon Difford
Sounds like the sugar you used. Dark sugars are always more problematic that more processed white sugars. You may have to slightly up the water ratio. Also, be sure to fine-strain syrup into store bottle as even tiny crystals will act as a catalyst to start crystallisation in the bottle.
1
Chris Dimal
Any guidelines for the ratio then? Also, I did fine strain, but it was still clumpy and granular even after passing through the fine strainer. Meanwhile I got proper syrup without fine straining when it came to white sugar, so I am perplexed.
1
Simon Difford
It's the impurities in the sugar causing the issue but they also add to the flavour. The amount of water you will need to add will vary according to your sugar but perhaps try 2 sugar to 1.25 water or 1.5 water. (You will also need to adjust the cocktail recipe accordingly.) I use Monin's muscovado/demerara sugar as equivalent to 2:1 without the faff.
2
Garret Brough
I found Muscovado sugar to have a flavor and texture I did not fancy so I used a 2:1 Demerara sugar syrup and as expected it was delicious.
2
Roberto Boertje
Made with Oleo Saccharum Bergamotte. Very, very tasty!
3
Vince Whitacre
I love working with oleos for my liqueurs and syrups; but I never considered using one as a replacement for the sugar *and* the twist. I don't eat a lot of citrus, mainly use it for mixing drinks (and rarely make orange juice drinks) so I've made sprayable orange and lemon oil essences (from the Art of Drink and Truffles on the Rocks) for finishing cocktails - so I'm definitely not averse to getting those necessary oils onto my cocktail via "alternative" means. This is genius!
1