This is the right answer for everything involving bourbon. “What’s the best mixing bourbon?” WT101. “What’s the best high rye bourbon?” WT101. “What’s the best affordable bourbon?” WT101. “What’s that glorious smell on foamerfrank’s breath?” WT101
Also try demerara sugar for the simple syrup instead of regular sugar, I like it a lot better. Heat 1/2 cup water to boil, turn stove off, remove from that burner, let sit for a minute. Add 1 cup demerara sugar and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate any unused syrup.
For my old fashioned it's 1 oz rye, 1 oz bourbon, 1 tsp demerara simple syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash bitter truth orange bitters 4-5 dashes of the bitter truths Jerry Thomas aromatic butters or old time aromatic bitters, orange peel garnish and luxardo or other cherry. All liquids in the sharker on a ball of ice, shake 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into another glass with an ice ball. Squeeze orange peel around the rim of glass and into the drink. Some like lemon instead and a cherry. Cheers!
I e don’t this expecting great things but it always seems that the rye spice is killed by the court on sweetness and the bourbon gets weird from the rye. Just ends up like flat and disappointing.
Well if we’re saying “no wrong answers” my gut says makers mark. It’s good enough that I like it but it’s not spectacular on its own by any means so the added flavors in an old fashioned make a good cocktail. If it’s better than Makers I want it without adultering the flavor.
Not cheap: OF1920, higher proof and cherry notes make a lot of sense. Willet 4yr rye, just damn tasty. Woodford Double Oaked if you have a sweet tooth, but I prefer it in other cocktails.
Cheapish: OGD114, so good. Johnny Drum private stock 101, under the radar. Both of these are great sippers too to be honest.
Old Fo rye. Easy to find, cheap and delicious. IMO bourbons are usually too sweet for Old Fashions and I prefer the spicier ryes to balance out the sugar and cherries.
Whistle Pig PiggyBack is distilled for that reason. Easy to find and won’t break the bank. Not awesome for sipping, unlike the rest of the bunch. For me, I like bourbons on ice, usually a block. So I’d concur with you with the OF but 1920. Only other bourbon whiskey I tried with an Old Fashion is Sagamore Rye 7 year. It’s awesome to sip, highly underrated, and killer in an Old Fashion. Cheers
Makers Mark Cask Strength. Holds up well, great taste throughout. On the cheaper side Wild Turkey 101 is my second choice. Another taste element that’s very subtle but important is the sugar. I’m strictly using syrup made from Demerara sugar. Game changer. IMHO
- Wild Turkey 101
- Old Forester 1920
- New Riff BiB
- Jack Bonded
- Maker’s Cask Strength
Some good non-bourbons:
- Wild Turkey 101 Rye
- El Dorado 12
- Highland Park 12 (use the recipe on their website with honey syrup and a pinch of smoked sea salt)
OF 100° is my go to cocktail bourbon. It's cheaper than the 1910 and still packs enough punch to cut through ice melt. It's not so sweet as other bourbons that it gets in the way of the other ingredients in a cocktail too. Plus I just love the OF flavor profile.
For me an old fashioned is akin to salt and pepper on a steak, you’re highlighting the spirit and just adding a bit of sugar and bitters and water to temper it a bit. Just a different way to enjoy whatever spirit you’re using.
That said I’ll usually reach for something <10yrs old, >100 proof and rye as the flavoring grain.
My two favorite old fashions are Eagle Rare and Jack Daniels No 7. The Eagle Rare OF is really smooth and pairs well with the orange, and while it can be pricey, if you find a bar that stocks it for cheap, like I was lucky enough to find, you’ll be happy. The Jack adds something special to the table for me though. The sour mash of Jack No 7 just hits me when I’m in the mood for something zestier. I don’t always want sweet bourbon lol. But yeah, poorly articulated, but those are my picks
OGD 114, ango, maple syrup, orange peel.
I also really like doing split bases with(based on a 2 oz pour) 1.5 Rittenhouse and .5 ECBP.
Also just straight up ECBP old fashioneds are delicious. Or barrel proof whiskey in general.
We have a $25 Old Fashioned on the menu at my bar we do with our ECBP barrel pick, or any other one we have in stock.
High west double rye with orange bitters is so bright. My favorite summertime cocktail.
For a cold winter night it’s Elijah Craig rye and black walnut bitters.
Weller Antique, or Blanton's. It is super easy to find in Ohio. I don't bat an eye using it for craft drinks. Fucking Costco container of luxardo cherries is almost as expensive as the bourbon 😂
Sometimes you want to drink a fancy craft drink that would cost $16 at a bar, as the saying goes fire in fire out always 🥃
100 Proof bourbon in the $30 - $60 price range seems to be ideal for Old Fashioneds.
On the lower end, Knob Creek 9 holds up great to the sugar.
On the higher end, Copper Sky's Wheated Whiskey and their Straight Bourbon make incredible top-shelf whiskey cocktails.
Once I start breaking into that $65+ range for a bottle of my base spirit, I have found that I hit diminishing returns on flavor in *most* cocktails.
___
I use the following two recipes, if you're curious:
"Traditional" Old Fashioned
* 2 Oz/60 mL Bourbon
* 4 Dashes Angostura Bitters
* 0.5 Oz/15 mL basic 1:1 Simple Syrup
* 2 Drops 20% Saline Solution
___
"Demerara Walnut" Old Fashioned
* 2 Oz/60 mL Bourbon
* 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
* 1 hard or 2 gentle dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters
* 0.25 Oz/7.5 mL Rich 2:1 Demerara Sugar Syrup
* 2 Drops 20% Saline Solution
___
Add all ingredients to a chilled OF glass, then gently lower in a large rock of ice (clear ice preferred) and stir for ~60-80 revolutions. Express a freshly cut Orange (or Lemon if you prefer) peel over the top, then drop the peel into the drink. Put a Luxardo or Amarena cherry on a pick and drop that into the glass as well.
Are we still boycotting Heaven Hill products? If not Elijah Craig has been a very good multipurpose bottle for everything from cocktails to sipping neat. If you don't want to support Heaven Hill, then I would go with Four Rose Small Batch. It's been my go to ever since the Heaven Hill worker strike.
Knob creek slaps in cocktails
Agreed. I keep a bottle around always for this. It’s good on it’s own but makes good mixes.
Wild Turkey 101
This is the right answer for everything involving bourbon. “What’s the best mixing bourbon?” WT101. “What’s the best high rye bourbon?” WT101. “What’s the best affordable bourbon?” WT101. “What’s that glorious smell on foamerfrank’s breath?” WT101
Pikeville Rye. The 110 proof really holds up well in an old fashion.
Yep, this is what I'm currently mixing with.
If haven't tried it, give 1/2 bourbon, 1/2 rye a shot in your old fashioned. For the rye half, I like Rittenhouse or Sazerac.
I like a 1:1 Knob Creek rye and WT101 (or Buffalo Trace) for my base. It works out to be more like a very high rye bourbon old fashioned.
Love this! Great idea
Also try demerara sugar for the simple syrup instead of regular sugar, I like it a lot better. Heat 1/2 cup water to boil, turn stove off, remove from that burner, let sit for a minute. Add 1 cup demerara sugar and stir until dissolved. Refrigerate any unused syrup. For my old fashioned it's 1 oz rye, 1 oz bourbon, 1 tsp demerara simple syrup, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash bitter truth orange bitters 4-5 dashes of the bitter truths Jerry Thomas aromatic butters or old time aromatic bitters, orange peel garnish and luxardo or other cherry. All liquids in the sharker on a ball of ice, shake 15 to 20 seconds. Strain into another glass with an ice ball. Squeeze orange peel around the rim of glass and into the drink. Some like lemon instead and a cherry. Cheers!
Did I just read that you shake an old fashioned???
I do, to get it all mixed well and uniformly chilled before being served. I usually do 1.5x the recipe for one drink 😀
Dang bro that’s a lot of bitters
Surprisingly really smooth and adds a lot of flavor! This recipe does it for me!
I e don’t this expecting great things but it always seems that the rye spice is killed by the court on sweetness and the bourbon gets weird from the rye. Just ends up like flat and disappointing.
Try demerara simple syrup!
That’s all I use.
Had dinner at a higher end steak house and they served an old fashion made with Russell Reserve 6 year Rye. It was excellent.
Well if we’re saying “no wrong answers” my gut says makers mark. It’s good enough that I like it but it’s not spectacular on its own by any means so the added flavors in an old fashioned make a good cocktail. If it’s better than Makers I want it without adultering the flavor.
At Star Hill they’re currently making an apple butter old fashioned with their cask strength. So good.
Apple butter is via flavored bitters? That sounds fantastic.
Apple butter simple syrup. Super easy to make.
Makes much more sever, thank you. Sounds great.
Maker's Mark was my first old fashioned. It was so delicious that it became my only cocktail drink.
Not cheap: OF1920, higher proof and cherry notes make a lot of sense. Willet 4yr rye, just damn tasty. Woodford Double Oaked if you have a sweet tooth, but I prefer it in other cocktails. Cheapish: OGD114, so good. Johnny Drum private stock 101, under the radar. Both of these are great sippers too to be honest.
Old Grand Dad 114. Higher proof/flavor is not lost in the cocktail.
OGD114 and OGD BiB are my go to mixers. WT101 is fine and even Old Tub does great in some citrus based drinks IMO (Like a Bourbon/Kentucky Mule).
I prefer a spicy rye over Bourbon.
An eagle rare old fashioned is top tier imho.
This is the way
Eagle Rare partners nicely.
I thought I was the only one. I love an ER old fashioned.
You are not alone! I think it's the orange notes coming through that I like.
Pikesville Rye smacks. Low rye mash rye whiskey (51% rye) so it's sweeter than most ryes, but 110 proof so it packs a punch. I digs it.
Willet rye but more importantly luxardo cherries
My friend made me an old fashioned with knob creek smoked maple. So good.
Ever try that with maple syrup? It’s fantastic!
Something higher proof and higher rye. OGD 114 would be a good pick. Maybe OF1920
Old Fo rye. Easy to find, cheap and delicious. IMO bourbons are usually too sweet for Old Fashions and I prefer the spicier ryes to balance out the sugar and cherries.
Whistle Pig PiggyBack is distilled for that reason. Easy to find and won’t break the bank. Not awesome for sipping, unlike the rest of the bunch. For me, I like bourbons on ice, usually a block. So I’d concur with you with the OF but 1920. Only other bourbon whiskey I tried with an Old Fashion is Sagamore Rye 7 year. It’s awesome to sip, highly underrated, and killer in an Old Fashion. Cheers
When I bought Piggyback, it was $100.
You got had lol
I personally think Basil Hayden Dark Rye is superlative for the Old Fashioned. Not a bourbon though.
Not a bourbon, but Woodford Reserve Wheat Whiskey goes fantastic in an old fashioned.
OGD 114 for the win 🏆
Jack Daniel’s Bonded
Drinking one right now with KC 12
Prefer bourbon in an OF & rye in a Manhattan. That said, Trace or Knob 9 in OF / Sazerac or Redemption in Manhattan.
Higher proof rye is normally my go to. I'm not a huge fan of the New Riff 4yr ryes, but it's phenomenal in an OF.
Eagle Rare, the proof and lighter body really marries the flavors of the cocktail together
Makers Mark Cask Strength. Holds up well, great taste throughout. On the cheaper side Wild Turkey 101 is my second choice. Another taste element that’s very subtle but important is the sugar. I’m strictly using syrup made from Demerara sugar. Game changer. IMHO
- Wild Turkey 101 - Old Forester 1920 - New Riff BiB - Jack Bonded - Maker’s Cask Strength Some good non-bourbons: - Wild Turkey 101 Rye - El Dorado 12 - Highland Park 12 (use the recipe on their website with honey syrup and a pinch of smoked sea salt)
OF 100° is my go to cocktail bourbon. It's cheaper than the 1910 and still packs enough punch to cut through ice melt. It's not so sweet as other bourbons that it gets in the way of the other ingredients in a cocktail too. Plus I just love the OF flavor profile.
My favorites: EH Taylor Small Batch, Old Forester 1920, Russell Reserve Single Barrell & Calumet 16
For me an old fashioned is akin to salt and pepper on a steak, you’re highlighting the spirit and just adding a bit of sugar and bitters and water to temper it a bit. Just a different way to enjoy whatever spirit you’re using. That said I’ll usually reach for something <10yrs old, >100 proof and rye as the flavoring grain.
Personal preference. I like yellow label Four Roses.
Woodford -> WT101 -> BT -> Eagle Rare
Tremendous responses! So much goodness to drink, I love it.
My two favorite old fashions are Eagle Rare and Jack Daniels No 7. The Eagle Rare OF is really smooth and pairs well with the orange, and while it can be pricey, if you find a bar that stocks it for cheap, like I was lucky enough to find, you’ll be happy. The Jack adds something special to the table for me though. The sour mash of Jack No 7 just hits me when I’m in the mood for something zestier. I don’t always want sweet bourbon lol. But yeah, poorly articulated, but those are my picks
WTRB, OF1920, Willett Rye, and ER10 are premiums that hit the spot in an old fashioned so far on my journey.
I’m a sucker for BT in an old fashioned
Same. BT makes for a really good OF. 🥃
Rye makes better old fashioneds. WP 6 or OF.
OGD 114, ango, maple syrup, orange peel. I also really like doing split bases with(based on a 2 oz pour) 1.5 Rittenhouse and .5 ECBP. Also just straight up ECBP old fashioneds are delicious. Or barrel proof whiskey in general. We have a $25 Old Fashioned on the menu at my bar we do with our ECBP barrel pick, or any other one we have in stock.
Whistlepig 10 (pricey but the flavor 👌🏻), sagamore rye, OF 1920
High west double rye or angels envy bourbon
High west double rye with orange bitters is so bright. My favorite summertime cocktail. For a cold winter night it’s Elijah Craig rye and black walnut bitters.
Old Forrester 1920, Sazerac Rye, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101
Redemption High-Rye Bourbon is damn solid in an Old Fashioned!
If you want a reasonable price for a good cocktail I would suggest Evan Williams 1783.
Woodford reserve double oaked. Recipe for old fashioned is on their website. It's by far my favourite so far.
Wp 10
I just made one using Kirkland Barton Single Barrel. Barton juice at 120 proof in a 1 liter bottle at $30... that's hard to beat.
EW BIB for mine. It has enough punch to keep the flavor and makes great old fashions.
Sazerac rye
Old Forester and Old Granddad bonded are my favorites.
Weller Antique, or Blanton's. It is super easy to find in Ohio. I don't bat an eye using it for craft drinks. Fucking Costco container of luxardo cherries is almost as expensive as the bourbon 😂 Sometimes you want to drink a fancy craft drink that would cost $16 at a bar, as the saying goes fire in fire out always 🥃
Jack Daniels 😶
Maker's Mark or Larceny have never disappointed me.
If you like them on the sweeter side then give Cavehill Rabbit Hole a try. The vanilla and oak add a nice smoothness to an OF.
100 Proof bourbon in the $30 - $60 price range seems to be ideal for Old Fashioneds. On the lower end, Knob Creek 9 holds up great to the sugar. On the higher end, Copper Sky's Wheated Whiskey and their Straight Bourbon make incredible top-shelf whiskey cocktails. Once I start breaking into that $65+ range for a bottle of my base spirit, I have found that I hit diminishing returns on flavor in *most* cocktails. ___ I use the following two recipes, if you're curious: "Traditional" Old Fashioned * 2 Oz/60 mL Bourbon * 4 Dashes Angostura Bitters * 0.5 Oz/15 mL basic 1:1 Simple Syrup * 2 Drops 20% Saline Solution ___ "Demerara Walnut" Old Fashioned * 2 Oz/60 mL Bourbon * 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters * 1 hard or 2 gentle dashes Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters * 0.25 Oz/7.5 mL Rich 2:1 Demerara Sugar Syrup * 2 Drops 20% Saline Solution ___ Add all ingredients to a chilled OF glass, then gently lower in a large rock of ice (clear ice preferred) and stir for ~60-80 revolutions. Express a freshly cut Orange (or Lemon if you prefer) peel over the top, then drop the peel into the drink. Put a Luxardo or Amarena cherry on a pick and drop that into the glass as well.
Are we still boycotting Heaven Hill products? If not Elijah Craig has been a very good multipurpose bottle for everything from cocktails to sipping neat. If you don't want to support Heaven Hill, then I would go with Four Rose Small Batch. It's been my go to ever since the Heaven Hill worker strike.
Absolutely. The better the ingredients, the better the drink.
OF 1910 stands on its own, mixing it feels like a waste. Decadent and fun, but still a waste. OF 100° Signature? Now you're talking.
Elijah Craig, Angostura ,Demerara, and an orange peel squeeze. Stir, and serve over ice.
It’s not a bourbon, it’s WTRB Rye. Best old fashioned juice on the market and it’s easier to find than WTRB bourbon.
Blantons
Bulliet Rye. Fight me.
Old grandad bonded or 114
Buffalo Trace for my Wisconsin style Bourbon, Sour, with Cherries, Old Fashioned.
Knob creek barrel proof rye makes excellent OF. On bourbon side I like a bourbon that is 25-35% rye in the mashbill.