When it comes to appreciating the innovations of fine spirits from the past, nothing screams
nostalgia better than the Old Fashioned. Moments of a fall day or enjoying an evening by a
campfire seem to be captured within the glass, reminding us of the simple joys in life.
The key to a perfect Old Fashioned is balance. Involving very few ingredients – a spirit, aromatic
bitters, a touch of sweetness, hints of citrus, and finally a smidge of dilution by stirring with
ice, balance is created. It originally called for whiskey but you can swap it out for Mezcal, Rum or
Gin (particularly aged). For sweetness, the classic recipe calls for a sugar cube or simple syrup.
However, a demerara molasses-based brown sugar syrup, honey, or a lemon oleo-saccharum
are perfect substitutes.
The Old Fashioned has evolved into the ultimate cocktail for pure experimentation. One
method of bringing this centuries-old recipe into the modern day is by smoking it. Cocktail
smoking kits are widely available and are an easy and effective method. Otherwise, one can
torch a block of whiskey oak cask, wood chips, or herbs like sage and rosemary, cap it with a
cocktail glass, and enjoy!
Smoked Old Fashioned
- 2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
- ½ oz Demerara syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass
- Stir with ice and strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube and one expressed orange peel
- Using a cocktail smoking kit, place the smoker wood block on top of the cocktail
- Place desired woodchips on the screen and burn chips with a torch
- Allow it to burn for 30-45 seconds allowing smoke to flow down and rest atop the drink
- Remove the smoker block, extinguish all burning things for safety and enjoy!