How to make an old fashioned at home

To make an old fashioned, stir 2 ounces of bourbon or rye with about half a teaspoon of sugar and 2 to 3 dashes of aromatic bitters over one large ice cube, then express an orange peel over the glass. We are The Wild Duck, a liquor store at 86 Massachusetts Ave in Boston, and this guide covers the ratios, the steps and the bottles we carry for the drink.

How do you make an old fashioned?

An old fashioned uses four things: whiskey, sugar, bitters and an orange peel. Put about half a teaspoon of sugar or a barspoon of simple syrup in a short glass, add 2 to 3 dashes of aromatic bitters, and stir until the sugar dissolves into the bitters.

Add one large ice cube, pour in 2 ounces of whiskey, and stir for around 20 to 30 seconds so the drink chills and softens slightly. Cut a wide strip of orange peel, squeeze it over the glass with the skin side facing down so the oils land on the surface, and drop it in.

That is the whole drink. Everything else in this guide is about choosing better ingredients and getting the small details right.

What ingredients do you need for an old fashioned?

You need a whiskey, a sweetener, aromatic bitters, an orange and ice. The whiskey is the main part of the drink, so it matters most. The sweetener and bitters are small amounts that round out the whiskey rather than cover it.

For the whiskey, most recipes call for bourbon or rye. For the sweetener, use a sugar cube, granulated sugar or simple syrup. For the bitters, a classic aromatic style is the standard choice. A fresh orange gives you the peel for the garnish.

If you are setting up a home bar more broadly, our guide to stocking a home bar in Boston lists the other bottles and tools that come up again and again in classic cocktails. Our mixers category covers the bottles for other drinks you may want to make alongside it.

Should you use bourbon or rye in an old fashioned?

Either works, and the choice comes down to the taste you want. Bourbon is made in the United States from a grain mixture that must be at least 51 percent corn, and it tends to taste rounder and sweeter, with notes of vanilla and caramel from the charred oak barrels it ages in.

Rye whiskey is made from a grain mixture that must be at least 51 percent rye, and it tends to taste drier and spicier. An old fashioned made with rye has a sharper edge, while one made with bourbon is softer.

If you are new to the drink, bourbon is a good place to start. You can browse our bourbon shelf, the rye category or the wider whiskey category. If you want a bottle that is harder to find, see our page on rare bourbon in Boston.

Which bourbons does The Wild Duck carry for an old fashioned?

For this drink we carry JOHNNY DRUM Private Stock, Four Roses Sbs, Filibuster Dual Cask Bourbon, Filibuster Madeir Cask Bourbon, Litchfield Straight Bourbon and Litchfield Vanilla Bourbon.

The recipe stays the same whichever bottle you pick: 2 ounces of whiskey, a little sugar, 2 to 3 dashes of bitters and a peel. Because the drink has so few parts, a change of bottle changes the result, so trying two bourbons side by side with the same recipe is a fair way to learn what you like.

Our article on the best bourbon for an old fashioned goes further into how to choose, and our Boston cocktail ingredients article covers how bitters and other cocktail staples are used.

How much sugar and bitters go in an old fashioned?

Use about half a teaspoon of sugar, or a barspoon of simple syrup, and 2 to 3 dashes of bitters for a 2-ounce pour of whiskey. This keeps the drink whiskey-forward, with just enough sweetness to take the edge off.

A sugar cube is the traditional route. Place it in the glass, add the bitters on top so the cube soaks them up, and crush it with a spoon before adding a splash of water to help it dissolve. Simple syrup is more consistent, because there are no grains left at the bottom of the glass. To make it, dissolve equal parts sugar and hot water, then let it cool.

Taste as you go. If the drink seems sharp, add a little more syrup. If it seems sweet, add one more dash of bitters. Small changes make a visible difference in a drink with so few parts.

What ice and glass work best for an old fashioned?

Use a short, heavy glass, often called a rocks or old fashioned glass, and one large ice cube. A large cube melts slowly, so the drink stays cold without becoming watery, which is the main reason bartenders prefer it to a handful of small cubes.

If you do not have a large-cube mold, use the biggest cubes your freezer makes. Fill a mixing glass with ice, stir the whiskey, sugar and bitters there first, and then strain over fresh ice in your serving glass. This keeps the ice in the serving glass from breaking down while you stir.

Chilling the glass in the freezer for a few minutes before you start also helps the drink hold its temperature.

How do you garnish an old fashioned with an orange peel?

Cut a strip of orange peel about two inches long with a vegetable peeler, taking as little of the white pith as you can. Hold it skin side down over the glass and pinch it firmly so a fine spray of citrus oil lands on the surface of the drink.

Rub the peel around the rim if you like, then drop it in or set it on the edge. The oils add aroma, which changes how the first sip tastes.

Some recipes add a cherry. If you do, choose a good-quality cocktail cherry and use one rather than several. The bright red cherries from a jar of fruit syrup can add a lot of extra sweetness to a drink that is meant to be balanced.

What are common variations on the old fashioned?

The structure of the old fashioned, a spirit with sugar, bitters and a garnish, can be used with other spirits. An old fashioned made with aged rum, tequila or brandy follows the same steps and gives a different result each time.

You can also change the sweetener. Maple syrup or demerara syrup add a deeper flavor than white sugar, and work well with bourbon. A dash of orange bitters alongside the aromatic bitters adds a lighter citrus note.

If you want a cold-weather bottle for the drink, look at our cold weather bourbon bottles collection and the whiskey shelf. Our page on winter warmers with bourbon and red wine has more ideas for the season.

Where can you buy the ingredients for an old fashioned in Boston?

You can walk into The Wild Duck at 86 Massachusetts Ave in Boston. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM and on Sunday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. We also offer in-store pickup, delivery and shipping.

Pickup hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM and Sunday from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Delivery hours are Monday to Saturday from 9:30 AM to 10:30 PM and Sunday from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM. We also serve Cambridge and Brookline, and you can read about liquor delivery in Boston, Cambridge and Brookline.

We carry more than 4,500 products from more than 700 brands, and our Google rating is above 4.5 from more than 60 reviews. Start with the bourbon category when you are choosing a bottle for the drink.