Keeping It Old Fashioned

Keeping It Old Fashioned

You know the old saying about not trying things you see on Television in life? Well, that's a load of shit. Jackass viewers break their arms all the time. Me, on the other hand, we'll, I'm all for mimicking more comforting television indulgence.

Perhaps I've seen one too many episodes of Mad Men, but I've grown to enjoy the taste of an Old Fashion. This drink is said to be the oldest cocktail around. It predates anything else you could ask your bartender for and is the first documented cocktail around. So why not take it old school and try one? It's really good, I must say.



I'm a scotch whiskey drinker mainly, but I've enjoyed my fair share of bourbon in the past. After an episode of Mad Men where Don Draper made one I thought to myself "You know, that looks pretty good" and much like how I decide to try making anything, be it bacon wrapped hot dogs, pulled pork, tuna poke or whatever else I fancy, I looked up a couple of recipes and here's my take on this old drink.

Here's the way I would make it, which is really good and I would recommend anyone try it to really try something new that isn't Jack and Coke. It may take a couple more minutes than pouring two items into a glass, but you'll get a justified reward for doing that work if you're willing to try it.

What you will need is:

4 parts bourbon
1 part soda water
1 dash of bitters (you can get this at any liquor store, one small bottle lasts forever)
2-3 maraschino cherries, depending on taste
1 large glass (to mix the bourbon, Soda water and bitters)
1 small tumbler glass (to serve in)



What you do is you pour the bourbon, soda water, and bitters into a large glass filled half way with ice (Cracked if you can.. and really, to crack ice you simply hit it with the back of the soon) and stir.

Put the cherries at the bottom of the second, smaller glass (flat bottomed tumbler), mash using the back of a spoon so the juice covers the bottom of the glass. You can also toss in orange slices into this if you want. The trick is to make sure you're smashing.. this is called muddling, which you could use a muddler for, but hey, why get more tools dirty?

Pour the mixed bourbon into the tumbler, add an olive, cherry or twist of lemon on top and drink up. The final product shouldn't be sweet but not too bitter either. You should be able to taste the alcohol and a hint of cherry.



It's made this way so it'll be more pleasant to drink than straight bourbon yet wont destroy your taste/palate like an over-sugared drink like daiquiris would. Hence it's the perfect before-dinner cocktail along with the martini.

Hopefully you'll be enjoying this drink soon. I know I'll be making one tonight to catch another episode of Mad Men as well as the start of a new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.