Whiskey is one of the most popular and preferred spirits around the world. In the words of George Bernard Shaw, “Whiskey is liquid sunshine’, and we’re sure a bunch of you agree! The popularity of this spirit has led to the birth of tons of classic whiskey cocktails. One such famous whiskey cocktail is Old Fashioned, made with bourbon or rye whiskey. We’ve compiled a list of 8 Old Fashioned recipes and variations for all the whiskey lovers looking to switch things up. Make sure you try these and have some fun experimenting on this classic!
Top 8 Old Fashioned Recipes And Variations
- Orange Old Fashioned
- Maple Old Fashioned
- Honey Old Fashioned
- Rum Old Fashioned
- Wisconsin Old Fashioned
- Smoked Old Fashioned
- Toasted Old Fashioned
- Pumpkin Old Fashioned
1. Orange Old Fashioned
All citrus lovers will absolutely fall in love with this showstopper cocktail – the Orange Old Fashioned! This flavorful twist to the Old Fashioned cocktail is possible by adding a splash of orange juice to it. The Orange Old Fashioned is a vibrant drink that can be enjoyed in all seasons as its citrus flavors rejuvenate you inside out! Its color is a deep red hue and the taste is somewhat tart and sweet.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- ½ ounce orange simple syrup (made with orange juice, water, sugar, and orange peel)
- 2 dashes of Angostura orange bitters
- Orange twist to garnish
How To Make An Orange Old Fashioned
- Take a mixing glass and add some ice to it.
- Add the whiskey, syrup, and bitters into the glass and stir the mixture well.
- Take an Old Fashioned glass and add a few ice cubes in it. Strain the mixture on top of the ice cubes. Finally, garnish it with an orange twist. The Orange Old Fashioned is ready to be served!
Also Read: 8 Best Daiquiri Cocktail Recipes
2. Maple Old Fashioned
Another tasty variation of Old Fashioned is the Maple Old Fashioned. As the name suggests, this cocktail uses maple syrup as one of the key ingredients. This syrup enhances the caramel-like, rich flavors of the bourbon whiskey. The Maple Old Fashioned will certainly knock your socks off with its sweet and satisfying taste.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- ½ ounce maple syrup
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- Orange peel
- Orange twist or brandied cherries to garnish
How To Make A Maple Old Fashioned
- Take a mixing glass and add a few ice cubes into it.
- Add the whiskey, maple syrup, and bitters into the glass and mix the ingredients well.
- Take a strip of orange peel (recommended size 1”) and squeeze it over the mixture. That will release the oils in the orange peel into the glass.
- Strain the mixture into a chilled cocktail glass. You can garnish the drink with an orange twist or some brandied cherries.
Also Read: 10 Cognac Cocktails To Try In Mumbai Winters
3. Honey Old Fashioned
Need a cocktail to battle the cold winter nights? Here’s the recipe for a Honey Old Fashioned to warm you up! It’s easy to make at home and is a sweet and boozy twist to the classic Old Fashioned cocktail. The whiskey used to make this cocktail is bourbon as it gives the drink a sweet and smooth texture. You can make a Honey Old Fashioned for your Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas celebrations and woo your guests!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Orange peel (1” wide)
- Lemon twist to garnish
How To Make A Honey Old Fashioned
- Take a mixing glass and add the orange peel into it. Muddle the peel in order to release its oils.
- Add the bourbon, bitters, and honey into the glass and stir the mixture well.
- Strain the mixture into a lowball glass and top it with some ice. There you have it, your Honey Old Fashioned is ready. You can garnish it with a lemon twist before serving.
4. Rum Old Fashioned
Cocktail lovers will enjoy drinking the Old Fashioned as it has endless variations that can be personalized to one’s own taste. In a Rum Old Fashioned, the use of dark rum gives it a delicious oaky flavor. Many bartenders add an orange peel to the cocktail as its zesty flavor mixes with deep flavors of the rum used as a base ingredient. Let’s take a look at the recipe for a Rum Old Fashioned.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of dark rum
- 1 bar spoon of Demerara syrup
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- Orange peel (1” wide)
- Orange twist to garnish
How To Make A Rum Old Fashioned
- Take a mixing glass and add some ice to it.
- Add the dark rum, syrup, and bitters into the glass and stir the mixture well.
- Hold the orange peel over the mixture and squeeze it for its oils to be released into the glass.
- Serve the drink in a cocktail glass and garnish it with an orange twist.
Also Read: 7 Best Sparkling Wine Cocktail Recipes
5. Wisconsin Old Fashioned
This is one of the best recipes and variations of an Old Fashioned and is extremely popular in Wisconsin. The whiskey is replaced by brandy in this cocktail and so the cocktail is also nicknamed Brandy Old Fashioned. This sweet and bubbly version of the classic cocktail is what you’ll get if you happen to order an Old Fashioned cocktail in Wisconsin.
Ingredients
- 1 slice of orange
- 1 Maraschino cherry
- 1 ½ ounce Maraschino cherry juice
- 4-6 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 1 ½ ounce brandy
- 3 ounces of lemon or lime soda
- Brandied cherries to garnish
How To Make A Wisconsin Old Fashioned
- Take a rock glass and add the orange slice, Maraschino cherries, and bitters and muddle the ingredients well.
- Pour some brandy into the glass and add some ice over it.
- Top the ice with a splash of lemon or lime soda and garnish the cocktail with some brandied cherries. The Wisconsin Old Fashioned is all set to be served!
6. Smoked Old Fashioned
All you adventurous home bartenders, here’s an interesting variation of the classic Old Fashioned! If you’re looking for some over-the-top flavors in your cocktail recipe, this recipe might do the trick for you. The Smoked Old Fashioned has a smoky depth in the drink thanks to the process of cold-smoking the cocktail. If done correctly, the cocktail tastes great and looks equally amazing! However, you’ll need a cocktail smoker to make this cocktail. Let’s take a look at its recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of rye or bourbon whiskey
- 1 sugar cube
- 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 1 orange peel
- Cherries or orange wedge to garnish
How To Make A Smoked Old Fashioned
- Take a small bowl and place the sugar cube and orange peel into it. Take a plastic wrap and cover the bowl. Fill the bowl with smoke using a smoke infuser by lifting up an edge of the plastic wrap. You can set the bowl aside for 1-2 minutes and then release the smoke.
- Take a whiskey glass, add the Angostura bitters and smoked sugar cube into it, and muddle the ingredients.
- Add an ice cube into the glass and pour some rye or bourbon whiskey over it.
- You can add the smoked orange into the glass and garnish the cocktail with some cherries or an orange wedge.
- Repeat the same process of filling smoke into the glass using a smoke infuser and keep the glass aside for 2 minutes. Finally, remove the plastic wrap from the glass and enjoy your Smoked Old Fashioned cocktail.
Also Read: Cocktail Mixing Hacks Everyone Should Know
7. Toasted Old Fashioned
The Toasted Old Fashioned is one of the best variations of the Old Fashioned. Just a whiff and sip of this cocktail will leave you yearning for more! The ingredients like burnt sugar syrup, aromatic bitters, and bourbon add to the sweet and smoky flavors of this cocktail. The recipe for the Toasted Old Fashioned cocktail is quite simple, so you can make it easily at home.
Ingredients
- 2 dashes of aromatic bitters
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- ½ ounce burnt sugar syrup
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- Orange peel
- Sugared cinnamon sticks to garnish
How To Make A Toasted Old Fashioned
- Take a rock glass and add the bitters, syrup, and bourbon into it.
- Add some ice to the glass and stir the mixture well.
- Squeeze an orange peel over the cocktail so that its oils are released into the glass. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass and drop it in. Finally, garnish the cocktail with a sugared cinnamon stick.
Also Read: How To Use Cocktail Syrups?
8. Pumpkin Old Fashioned
An autumn twist to the classic Old Fashioned is Pumpkin Old Fashioned. It’s a great cocktail for a before-dinner drink. Pumpkin Old Fashioned has a bright orange color and a sweet and bourbon-forward taste with notes of vanilla, maple, and spice. The best thing about making a Pumpkin Old Fashioned at home is that it doesn’t have any hard-to-find ingredients!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree
- 2 ounces of maple syrup
- ¼ ounce cinnamon syrup
- 1 ounce of orange liqueur
- 2 dashes of orange bitters
- Orange twist to garnish
How To Make Pumpkin Old Fashioned At Home
- Take a cocktail shaker and add some ice halfway through the shaker.
- Add the whiskey, pumpkin puree, maple syrup, cinnamon syrup, orange liqueur, and orange bitters to the shaker. Shake it well for the ingredients to blend together.
- Take an Old Fashioned glass with ice and strain the mixture into it. You can garnish the cocktail with an orange twist and then serve it.
Summing Up
When you’re in the mood for a cocktail, try making any of the above Old Fashioned variations. These flavorful alterations to the cocktail can be made easily at home. It’s time you become a home bartender and treat yourself a delicious cocktail that’ll fulfill your cravings!
FAQs
What Are The Different Types Of Old Fashioned?
Here’s a list of the different types of Old Fashioned:
- Orange Old Fashioned
- Maple Old Fashioned
- Honey Old Fashioned
- Rum Old Fashioned
- Wisconsin Old Fashioned
- Smoked Old Fashioned
- Toasted Old Fashioned
- Pumpkin Old Fashioned
How Do You Modify An Old Fashioned?
You can modify an Old Fashioned by doing the following:
- Use a different type of cherry other than Maraschino cherry.
- Switch the bourbon or rye whiskey in the cocktail with another spirit.
- Experiment with sweeteners by using syrups like honey syrup, demerara syrup, or fresh fruit jams.
- Angostura bitters have been used in Old Fashioned for years. You can replace them with any other type of cocktail bitters.
What Type Of Alcohol Is In An Old Fashioned?
The recipe for a classic Old Fashioned demands bourbon or rye whiskey. Other ingredients used to make the cocktail are sugar, bitters, and cherries or orange zest for garnishing.
What To Pair With Old Fashioned?
You can pair Old Fashioned with foods like roasted almonds, grilled or barbecue chicken, cheese, pork sliders, etc.
Should An Old Fashioned Be Sweet?
The Old Fashioned cocktail is sweetened using a sugar cube or simple syrup. Many variations of this cocktail also have other sweeteners like demerara syrup and honey syrup as a key ingredient.
What Cheese Goes With An Old Fashioned?
Cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda, Parmesan, and Alpine cheeses go well with an Old Fashioned.
Do You Shake Or Stir An Old Fashioned?
If you’re making a classic Old Fashioned, you need to stir the drink instead of shaking it. Cocktails that have citrus, cream, or egg whites need to be shaken. But if you’re adding a twist to this cocktail, the ingredients you’re using will determine whether you need to shake or stir the cocktail.
What Are Bitters In An Old Fashioned?
A classic Old Fashioned cocktail recipe has Angostura bitters as one of the ingredients. These are aromatic bitters and add to the flavor and complexity of the cocktail.
