Old Fashioned Recipe: Whiskey, Sugar & Bitters
An Old Fashioned brings whiskey, sugar and aromatic bitters together over ice. Here is the classic sugar-cube method, with notes on stirring and variations.
An Old Fashioned brings whiskey, sugar and aromatic bitters together over ice. Here is the classic sugar-cube method, with notes on stirring and variations.
In this guide
Old Fashioned Recipe: Whiskey, Sugar & Bitters
Ingredients
- 45ml bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 sugar cube
- A few dashes Angostura bitters
- A few dashes plain water
- Ice
- Orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry, to garnish
Method
- Place the sugar cube in a rocks glass and add bitters and water.
- Break down the cube and mix until the sugar dissolves.
- Fill the glass with ice and add the whiskey.
- Stir gently, then add the garnish.
Bourbon or rye?
Both are included in the IBA specification. The bottle you choose strongly influences a drink with so few ingredients. Use the same sugar and bitters measures when comparing them, so the whiskey remains the main difference.
Dissolve the sugar first
Undissolved sugar collects at the bottom and can make the last sip much sweeter than the first. The small amount of water helps dissolve it before the whiskey and ice are added. A syrup version is a useful variation, but it needs a measured syrup specification.
Bitters and garnish
Bitters add concentrated aromatic flavour. Dash sizes differ between bottles, so treat “a few dashes” as a starting specification rather than a precise millilitre measure. Expressing orange zest adds aroma without adding a large quantity of fruit juice.
Compare with a Manhattan
The Manhattan also centres on whiskey, but uses sweet vermouth instead of the sugar-and-water structure here. That produces a distinct drink, rather than simply a different serving glass for the same mixture.
Costing this drink for a menu
Add the cost of each measure, mixer and garnish, then allow for your actual wastage. The cocktail menu price calculator shows how those costs, a GP target and VAT combine. The example target is editable; choose one that fits your own venue.
Recipe reference
International Bartenders Association: Old Fashioned. The recipe above uses this published specification; the surrounding notes explain practical choices and variations.
