Sugar cube or simple syrup? For this recipe, we went with a cube of demerara sugar (similar to turbinado sugar). Whereas a Manhattan uses sweet vermouth, an Old Fashioned typically uses straight sugar (in our case, a demerara sugar cube). What’s the difference between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan? While these two whiskey cocktails are very similar, they diverge in what is used to sweeten them. This is no time to use the random bottle of whiskey someone left at your house instead, use one you’d be happy to drink straight after a long day.
To do the same, you’re going to want to use the best bourbon you can find.
Why is it called an Old Fashioned? As the story goes, as mixologists began getting more creative with their whiskey cocktails near the turn of the 19th century, bar patrons who were anti-innovation could order their drinks “old-fashioned,” meaning without any extra bells and whistles. Read on for our top tips to making your Old Fashioned the best it can be: You only need a few ingredients to make this classic cocktail-sugar, bitters, and a large ice cube-so you’ve really got to make them count. Oaky and sweet, with a hint of citrus on the finish, the classic whiskey Old Fashioned is truly a bourbon lover's drink.
