quote:

Originally posted by jprebb:
The game-changer for me is my last step in assembling the drink. I express the oil out of the orange peel into the glass then I wipe the rim of the glass with the peel.
JP

My daughter gave me a muddler. Now I peel the orange, put it in the bottom of the glass, muddle a little, then add the bourbon. Muddle a little more. This infuses the bourbon with the orange peel oils. I also squeeze an orange slice. It gives a lot of the orange flavor.

basically the ShouldBFishin recipe, but orange first.

Old Fashioned

2 oz bourbon (Typically Elijah Craig Toasted, Knob Creek, Buffalo Trace or Makers Mark)
1 teaspoon simple syrup
2-4 dashes of old fashioned aromatic bitters
2-4 dashes of orange bitters
stir for 30 seconds, strain into cocktail glass with 1 large ice cube
orange peel garnish - express oil over cocktail, wipe rim of glass
add 1 luxardo cherry

Just not like this

2 oz woodford
1/2 oz triple sec
3 dashes of bitters.
Stir and add large ice cube.

I do have a drink smoker but haven’t tried it yet. I always get a
Smoky old fashioned at restaurants if it’s an option.

quote:

Originally posted by XinTX:
Just not like this

[FLASH_VIDEO]<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8Lf4qFL9nGU?si=UQlBK-S8wWlN-Ard" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>[/FLASH_VIDEO]

That's a stiff one!

I typically use decent bourbon if I'm going to the effort to make an old fashioned. Right now that means Col EH Taylor, Blanton's or Henry McKenna 10 year for the bourbon. My go to simple syrup right now is Proof Syrup/Old Fashion mix which replaces the need for bitters.

Basically, 4 to 1 bourbon to syrup, stir in a cold glass (technique is to fill up the glass with cubed ice to chill it down a bit, then empty the glass). Slice of orange peel and heat the outside with a lighter to release a bit of the oil in the peel. Drop that in with 1 or 2 luxardo cherries (Woodford branded is available at my local liquor store). Stir it up and then add a large ice cube. Delicious.

Alternate method and more traditional I guess, is to muddle a couple of brown sugar cubes in the glass, add the bourbon and throw in a few dashes of angostura atomic bitters, stir it up, add the orange peel and cherries and a large ice cube.

I don't rub the orange peel on the rim although I've seen it done and it's ok. I'm indifferent on that technique.

I've made it both ways and doing a taste test they are pretty much indistinguishable from each other. Both very good.

Proof makes several flavors of simple syrup/old fashioned mix and its almost as expensive as the bourbon, buts it the best syrup/mix I've found. May have to try the others mentioned.

The Old Fashioned has become my favorite drink when out at a nice restaurant, and always a treat when they do it well. Some places will use small ice cubes instead of the single big one which is a bit of a disappointment but they usually still taste very good.

Sigh, all these recipes make me feel like a heathen. I prefer my bourbon neat. Lately, I’ve decided that I like rye even better. No added sugar, no extra flavors, no ice. Just rye.

I guess I’ve turned into a philistine.

quote:

I prefer my bourbon neat. Lately, I’ve decided that I like rye even better. No added sugar, no extra flavors, no ice. Just rye.

Nothing wrong with that! Sometimes, sipping a little neat is definitely the way to go...

Okay, tonight I just made my first old fashioned. I bought Bulliet 95 Rye Whiskey and added simple syrup, orange bitters, candied orange peels, ice, and two cherries. Tastes really good. I will continue to experiment.

^ Woodford is still my favorite for an OF, but Bulleit is a close 2nd

quote:

Originally posted by P250UA5:
^ Woodford is still my favorite for an OF, but Bulleit is a close 2nd

I will try it next. I just went with what the old man at the liquor store recommended and he seemed to know his stuff.

My 'New England' Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

3 oz. Bourbon
3 Luxardo Cherries
4 dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
2 teaspoons of Maple Syrup

Add the Bourbon to a rocks glass, then spoon in the Luxardo cherries one at a time w/ some of the syrup. Use a muddler to crush the cherries. Then add 4 dashes of Bitters and 2 tsp. of Maple Syrup. Stir until clear and the Maple Syrup is fully dissolved. I add 3 fresh 'half moon' ice cubes from the ice maker in my freezer and stir to chill the drink. They cover the top of surface of the drink quite nicely in a rocks glass and seem to melt at an appropriate rate. YMMV

Enjoy…Repeat as necessary!

Bourbon: Though I do enjoy quality Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (usually Angels Envy, Blantons, Eagle Rare, maybe Woodford Reserve or perhaps Knob Creek…But always ‘neat’ in a Glencairn Glass), I typically mix an Old Fashioned with Jim Beam Black, but will pour Woodford Reserve if I happen to run out of the Black.

Optional: While I appreciate the enhanced experience of adding the orange peel and wiping the rim of the glass to express the oils (I’ve had them out that way), I’m usually only making the Old Fashioned(s) for myself and ‘maybe’ my son, so it’s not really worth the effort IMO. Even if I was enjoying a couple on both Friday AND Saturday night (and I usually do!), I’d probably still be wasting the rest of the unused orange, not to mention we don’t usually have oranges in the house anyway, so it's not worth the squeeze for me. Again, YMMV.

Note: Not sure why anyone would be straining an Old Fashioned. There's nothing that goes into the glass that shouldn't end up in the drink anyway.

I made another one tonight and experimenting on how I make it. With this one, I put the simple syrup, bitters, and the cherries and candied orange peels. I muddled them and then added the ice and rye whiskey. I think the flavor was better this time. I will continue to experiment. I can taste the layer of flavors. I like this drink.

Yeah I see no need for doing any straining.

So what is the difference between a Luxardo Cherrie and a regular Maraschino Cherrie beyond them being 4x the price difference? I am just using regular Maraschino Cherries.

ETA: I answered my own question after an AI search and I will see if there is a noticeable difference.

OMG now I see it. There is no comparison between a Luxardo cherry and a regular store one. The taste is so unbelievably different!!!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: StorminNormin,

I am really liking these Cedar Old Fashioneds!



Couple ounces of (literally) whatever bourbon, I like the Trader Joe’s Kentucky 90 proof at $16 a bottle, fresh or dried orange for garnish. Couple dashes of a fairly mild bitters, I like Woodrow’s Cherry or Fee Brothers Lemon, and just enough fresh Cedar syrup to take the edge off… wish I had an exact measurement, but I just kind of drip a bit in, the stuff I have (imported from Russia by the Krasniy Octyabr Company) is very thick.

Makes for a nice, spicy/wood blend of flavors. I really need to try doing a smoked version!

Bill R

quote:

Cedar syrup to take the edge off… wish I had an exact measurement, but I just kind of drip a bit in, the stuff I have (imported from Russia by the Krasniy Octyabr Company) is very thick.

You’ve got to tell us where to get it?

quote:

Originally posted

You’ve got to tell us where to get it?[/QUOTE]

Wish I knew, I got it as a gift… I am guessing it would be from one of our local specialty shops that focus on Eastern European groceries.

Bill R

Now that I am making my own Old Fashioned, this is one of the tastiest drinks I have ever had! I don’t know what took me so long to do it.

quote:

Originally posted by stylophiles:

quote:

Originally posted

You’ve got to tell us where to get it?

Wish I knew, I got it as a gift… I am guessing it would be from one of our local specialty shops that focus on Eastern European groceries.

Bill R[/QUOTE]

Can you take a picture of the label on the bottle so we can search for it?

Is this it? The bottle looks like what is in your picture.

Could be… I chucked the label for the Cedar syrup, but this is what was on the Lavender syrup from the same place I received along with the Cedar.



Bill R