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Meet your drink of the summer: the Old Fashioned

This aromatic classic will put all other cocktails to shame


JUNE 9, 2020 6:17 PM EDT

The Old Fashioned is a drink that exudes sophistication — from it’s high-end premium ingredients to the velvety aromas that just (ever so gently) tickle your nose each time you sip it. It’s a cocktail that is truly in a league of its own. To make the drink, you only need four simple ingredients, that when combined, make something truly extraordinary. The origins of classic drink date back to the 19th century (so think the 1800s) when the drink first got its name. The Old Fashioned is regarded as such a classic drink that it is an International Bartenders Association (IBA) official cocktail and is used at their annual World Cocktail Competition (WCC).

This cocktail recipe normally consists of the following key ingredients: spirits, bitters and sugar (sugar cubes were exchanged for simple syrup later on). The cocktail has evolved quite a bit since its inception: one 1883 recipe was said to have included water, while another 1860 recipe called for orange curaçao, absinthe and other liqueurs to be introduced into the mix. But today’s versions typically use bourbon or rye whiskey, which is where David Powell of Hudson Whiskey comes in for the save. David and Hudson Whiskey (when you see an ‘e’ in whiskey, it means that it’s an American-made whiskey) shared with HOLA! USA their enticingly simple recipe for this iconic drink using premium Hudson Whiskey. Check out their recipe below!

Old Fashioned cocktail being poured into a clear glass© Adam Jaime/ Unsplash
Records of the Old Fashioned date back to the 1800s

 Hudson Whiskey Old Fashioned Recipe by David Powell

  Ingredients:

  • 2 parts Hudson Baby Bourbon
  • 1 tsp Demerara Simple Syrup
  • 3-4 dashes Aromatic Bitters
  • Orange Twist

Preparations:

  1. Add to a mixing glass: simple syrup, bitters, then Baby Bourbon.
  2. Stir well to combine and chill.
  3. Strain into Double Old Fashioned glass over one large rock (or fill the glass with smaller cubes).
  4. Using Y-peeler or paring knife, cut large, wide twist of orange peel.
  5. Rind side out, snap twist to express orange oils over drink, then garnish with the twist.