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What I Drink: Old Fashioned Cocktail

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Old Fashioned Cocktail

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If you’ve been reading Kitchen Konfidence for a little while, I’m sure you’ve noticed that I love a good drink.  Sometimes I like to go all out, and make cocktails like: Summer Crush, El Comediante, or Strawberry Letter 22.  They’re a bit more involved to prepare, but they taste damn good once everything comes together.  Usually however, you can find me drinking an almost-classic Old Fashioned Cocktail.  It’s my go-to.  My standard.  My after-work drink.  It’s a cocktail I know I can always prepare with ingredients from my pantry/liquor cabinet.  And today, I’m going to share with you my Old Fashioned Cocktail recipe.

But first, a little back story.  Several months ago, I tweeted this photo of Black Walnut Bitters that sparked up a conversation with some of my fellow booze-loving, foodie friends (boozie friends?).  In particular, Vijay from Noshon.It and Brian from A Thought For Food.  We started chatting about our favorite go-to libations, and shortly after, the What I Drink mini-series was born.  So today, the three of us are sharing some of our favorite cocktail recipes along with short interviews.  Continue reading for my recipe plus links to Vijay’s and Brian’s!

Vanilla Sugar

Please describe your cocktail of choice.

A classic Old Fashioned is made with sugar, water, Angostura bitters, and bourbon or rye whiskey.  A sugar cube or white, granulated sugar is mashed up with a few drops of water and several dashes of Angostura bitters until dissolved.  Ice is then added along with a couple ounces of bourbon or rye.  Finally, the drink is vigorously stirred until well-chilled and the spirit is slightly diluted.  Optional garnishes include an orange wedge or peel, lemon peel or cherry.  It’s said that the Old Fashioned originated in the 1880’s at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, Kentucky.

My go-to version of this Old Fashioned Cocktail is very similar to the classic version; however, instead of regular sugar, I use homemade Vanilla Sugar.  This simple substitute adds a pleasant depth of flavor.  I also like use rye whiskey (particularly Bulleit Rye) rich with notes of pepper and spice.  Finally, I forgo the addition of a garnish.  I love a good garnish, but here, I want the rye to be the main attraction.

What flavor profile best fits your cocktail?

This Old Fashioned is both smokey and sweet.  The first few sips pack a sharp, whiskey bite.  As the ice melts in the drink, the flavor of the rye mellows out, allowing sweeter notes to come through.

Why is this drink your favorite?

I love both the simplicity of this cocktail, and the variations in flavor.  I almost always have these ingredients sitting in my pantry.  And when that first sip of rye hits your lips.  Mmm, mmm.

Do you enjoy variations, or do you just stick to the original recipe?

I usually stick with the original recipe; however, when I’m feeling ambitious, I’ll mix things up.  In the past, I’ve switched up the spirits, bitters and added garnishes.  I was obsessed with Strawberry Old Fashioneds a few years ago (made with Strawberry Infused Bourbon).  Recently, I stirred up this super tasty Brown Butter Old Fashioned.

When making cocktails, what’s the best advice you’ve ever received (or read)?

A mixologist friend once told me that the key to a good cocktail is balance.  You don’t want the drink to be overly sweet or overly bitter.

If you had a chance to enjoy this cocktail with one of cast members of Sex in the City, who would it be and why?

I’d have to say Carrie, because she’d really appreciate the vintage vibe of this Old Fashioned Cocktail.

Old Fashioned Cocktail

Old Fashioned Cocktail
5 from 1 vote
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Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Servings 1 cocktail
Author Brandon Matzek

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Add vanilla sugar, water and bitters to a short tumbler. Using a spoon or muddler, mash the sugar into the liquid until it dissolves (most of it). Add the rye, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add ice to the glass, and stir until the drink is well-chilled.

So what’s your go-to drink of choice?  Share your thoughts, then check out these taaaaaaasty beverages from Brian and Vijay.

Here’s Brian’s Blackberry Gin and Tonic.

Blackberry Gin and Tonic

And here’s Vijay’s 1974 Cocktail.

1794 Cocktail

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. leanne says

    I like a good whiskey drink but I don’t think I’ve had much exposure to the Old Fashioned. My standby is usually just scotch and ginger ale (also with a nice big sphere of ice!) but it has to be Bunderberg ginger ale. It has a nice ginger bite instead of just sweetness.

    I have grand visions of getting into making my own bitters, but I don’t even know where to start.

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Sounds delicious! Where do you find that ginger ale?

      I have yet to make my own bitters. Seems like you just have to steep stuff in grain alcohol. I need to work on that!

      Reply

      • leanne says

        We get Bundaberg ginger beer at BevMo, but I’ve seen it at Cost Plus (World Market?) and various bottle shops. I wonder if the World Market section of Bed Bath & Beyond has it?

        The one I’ve only seen at BevMo (so far) is Bundaberg’s Lemon Lime Bitters drink. I don’t know if you’re supposed to use it as a mixer, but it’s really nice on its own over ice. I’m also guessing if I had a nice bottle of bitters, I could just make my own with lime and lemon juice and some sugar. But, you know… convenience is nice, too!

        Reply

        • Brandon Matzek says

          Thanks for the info!! Luckily all those stores are located at my place for work 😉 I’ll check this week!

          Reply

  4. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says

    I remember being at dinner at Momofuku Ssam Bar in NY and since I had just turned 21 I decided to get a drink. The bartender suggested the Old Fashioned and I just went with it (or was it a Manhattan?….hmm). Given that I was used to drinking awful things like Bud Light Lime, boxed wine and jungle juice, the drink was so crazy spirit-forward I could not have more than a couple sips and literally had to chase each sip with water. Now I love spirit-forward cocktails but geez, it was definitely not love at first sight…

    Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      HA!! Well I had a similar experience. I was at a Birthday Party at Urban Solace several years ago, and a friend ordered an Old Fashioned. He couldn’t stop raving about it, so I asked for a sip. BOOM. It hit hard at first, and I didn’t like it as much as what I was drinking. Later in the evening, he said, “Here, try it now.” I was pleasantly surprised at the taste after the ice had diluted the drink. Now I love both the first sip and the last sip 😉

      Reply

    • Brandon Matzek says

      Thanks Jackie!! And when I’m not drinking a good cocktail, I’m definitely drinking a good beer. I usually prefer beer and cocktails over wine.

      Reply

  9. Graham @ Glazed & Confused says

    Love the addition of vanilla sugar! Can imagine that pairing so well with the bitters and the strong rye.
    I’m part of a long lineage of sazerac and gin-anything drinkers, but I tend to go for the sweeter stuff. (Hey, I have a sugar addiction!)

    Reply

  11. Adri says

    I love a good cocktail, and I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I will say that the Hanky Panky is one very good drink. But of late, I have been experimenting with Amaro Averna. Often consumed neat, it is an absolute delight in mixed drinks.

    Reply

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