Old Fashioned cocktail in a rocks glass — Angostura bitters

Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

boozy bitter sweet

bourbon, sugar, angostura bitters, water

History

The 1806 Hudson paper defined a cocktail as spirit, sugar, water, and bitters. That was the whiskey cocktail on American bars in the early 1800s. In the 1880s, bartenders started adding liqueurs, and drinkers who wanted the old pour asked for it the old-fashioned way. The name stuck. On a home bar, soak a sugar cube with Angostura bitters and a few dashes of water, muddle, then stir in bourbon and one large cube. Simple syrup from the pantry dissolves faster when you are out of cubes. Rye makes the same Old Fashioned spicier.

Ingredients

bourbon 2 oz

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sugar 1 cube

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angostura bitters 2 dashes

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water few dashes

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Missing a bottle? Stock your pantry to see what else you can mix.

How to make

Place a sugar cube in a rocks glass and soak it with Angostura bitters and a few dashes of water.
Muddle until the sugar mostly dissolves — a bar spoon of simple syrup from the pantry stands in if you are out of cubes.
Add 2 oz bourbon and a large ice cube.
Rye from the pantry makes a spicier Old Fashioned.
Stir until the drink is cold and slightly diluted.
Express an orange twist over the glass and drop it in as garnish.

Glassware

Rocks glass

Short and sturdy for spirit-forward drinks served on ice — easy to hold, stir, and sip without watering down too fast.

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Old Fashioned FAQ

Is an Old Fashioned made with a sugar cube and bitters?

Yes. This recipe soaks a sugar cube with 2 dashes of Angostura bitters and a few dashes of water, then adds 2 oz bourbon and a large ice cube. That sugar-cube Old Fashioned is the classic. Simple syrup from the pantry is the faster swap if you are out of cubes. Rye whiskey is the spicier bottle.

What are Angostura bitters in an Old Fashioned?

Angostura bitters are a concentrated aromatic seasoning in the little bottle with the oversized label — clove, gentian, and spice, not a spirit you sip. This Old Fashioned recipe uses 2 dashes on the sugar cube so the bourbon tastes seasoned, not just sweet. Follow that dash count in the method above; a heavy pour turns the drink medicinal.

What ingredients are in an Old Fashioned?

An Old Fashioned is made with bourbon, sugar, angostura bitters, and water. Amounts and pantry matching are in the ingredients list on this page.

How do you make an Old Fashioned?

Place a sugar cube in a rocks glass and soak it with Angostura bitters and a few dashes of water. Muddle until the sugar mostly dissolves — a bar spoon of simple syrup from the pantry stands in if you are out of cubes. Add 2 oz bourbon and a large ice cube. Rye from the pantry makes a spicier Old Fashioned. Stir until the drink is cold and slightly diluted. Express an orange twist over the glass and drop it in as garnish.