A citrusy and very classic concoction to keep the cold at bay
This biting winter weather calls for strong drink. Porters and stouts are a good choice if they’re on tap, but if you really want to put fire in the belly, go for the strong stuff.
The clear spirits, though, aren’t always quite right.
And while a Tom Collins or a Moscow Mule are refreshing on warm days, what we need this time of year is the brown stuff, and the most classic of all cocktails’ cocktail for any whiskey, bourdon, or rye is the Old Fashioned.
This drink was featured in David E. Embury’s 1948 edition of “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks” as one the six basic drinks of mixology. But like the cocktail itself, it goes back in history and obscurity. Most sources say the Old Fashioned is at least a hundred years old, but some out there believe it dates back to the 18th century or even beyond. Just where it—and the word “cocktail” itself—derives from is a mystery.
Some sources say the cocktail comes from an Aztec princess, or a French egg cup, a coquetel, or from a James Fenimore Cooper character named Betty Flanagan who is based off of another fictional character named Betsy Flanagan. It’s quite the historical rabbit hole. Even the famous American satirist H. L. Mencken couldn’t pin down the cocktail’s origin.
But our modern definition of the cocktail comes from the Hudson, NY political paper Balanced and Columbian Repository in 1809, and it was the exact definition of the Old Fashioned: “a stimulating and quality spirit, water, sugar, and bitters”.
Simple, no?
Actually it gets pretty complex and finicky from here. Some prefer brown sugar grains, others simple syrup (one-part sugar mixed with one-part hot water). In some cocktails there’s a muddled cherry with an orange peel, others just an orange peel. Apparently, oranges pair well with the sweeter taste of bourbon while tart lemons are recommended for the bite of rye whiskey.
Writing this article made me thirsty, so I paid a visit to a good friend at Chattanooga Whiskey. Sarah Smiley, whose name matches her disposition, prefers the old school way with the spirit doing most of the work.
“Some folks muddle a whole orange with a cherry while others just muddle with the orange rind to get the oils from it,” she explained. “I don’t muddle at all. I want less fruit flavor and more whiskey.”
She, like most bartenders and connoisseurs of the classic cocktail, has her own preferred method. This is because the Old Fashioned has been around for so long that most people have tweaked the recipe to their liking.
But here’s a good starting point: two ounces of whiskey, a teaspoon of sugar, two dashes of angostura and orange bitters, and one large ice cube.
Because the Old Fashioned is a stiff drink and meant to be sipped slowly, it’s best not to take short cuts with your poison of choice. I recommend buying local with Chattanooga Whiskey’s 1816 Reserve.
With the sweetener, some bartenders prefer simple syrup because it dissolves in the cocktail. But if you want to muddle some fruit, then you could throw some raw sugar cane into the pestle.
The final cooling touch, though, is undebatable. An Old Fashioned truly compliments the spirit it’s crafted with, so this taste should be sweetened but not subdued. Smaller pieces of ice melt easily and dilute this taste, which means a big chunk is best.
Just adhere to the traditional definition of the cocktail; get those four elements right, then it’s up to you to make it your own.
“My grandma likes a splash of orange juice in hers, so…” Sarah said.
If you want to get a delicious Old Fashioned, then I suggest you pay her and the good folks at Chattanooga Whiskey a visit. Or blaze your own path at home and get creative.
Just remember to sip slow and enjoy.