Ode to the Old Fashioned, it's variants and other whiskey cocktails


 
John K BBQ

John K BBQ

TVWBB Wizard
I may have "invented" a variant on the old fashioned. I call it the "Dude Fashioned" because it has a little kahlua in it. I still love the regular old fashioned, I just came up with this one night when I was feeling like running an experiment;
about 1 tsp Kahlua
one part dry orange caracao
two parts good 90 or 100 proof bourbon (I like 4 Roses small batch for this)
a shake or two of orange bitters (optional).
Make the same way you would an old fashioned - pour all the booze and bitters over ice, stir and strain into your glass over a big cube.

That little bit of kahlua is really complementary to the bourbon (IMO). I tried using more kahlua, but more than two tsp dominates the drink and you can't taste the bourbon at all. It really helps to have one of those metal bottle pouring inserts to hit the tsp measurement. This drink has gotten limited but positive reviews in my house (even my wifey likes it).

Please give it a try and let me know what you think. Also, if you've seen a recipe like this before i'd like to know.

Are you an old fashioned fan? Do you have any variations on the recipe to share? What about Manhattans and other whiskey drinks?
Do you have a favorite bartender that you follow on social media?
 
Great post!
My favorite cocktail is the Old Fashioned.
What you've described is similar to a Kahlua based cocktail called the "Revolver". The main difference is that you've added Curacao.
I stick to the traditional. 2oz rye, a couple dashes of bitters, a bar spoon of simple syrup stirred in a mixing glass with ice & strained into a lowball glass rimmed with an orange peel, over a large cube with a Luxardo cherry & garnished with an orange peel. I always use rye in the 100-120 proof range, because the spiciness hold its own against the simple syrup and bitters. Sometimes I'll use a higher rye bourbon, like Old Grandad 114.
My wife, also a rye fan, prefers hers on the sweeter side, so I use 1/2oz of simple syrup in hers along with a barspoonful of the syrup from the Luxardo cherries.
My only riff on the traditional Old Fashioned, is to substitute a peaty Scotch whiskey for the rye. I use Ardbeg Corryvreckan, that weighs in at ~114 proof and adds a wonderful smoky element to the drink.
 
Thanks for the tip on the Revolver cocktail. I'll look that up sometime soon. I should also revisit using Rye in the old fashioned, or try the Old Grandad 114. Subbing the peaty scotch is an interesting idea and could be a good alternative to the "Smoked Old Fashioned". I haven't tried making a smoked old fashioned myself but I've had them at friends houses and at various bars/restaurants. Frankly, I don't think it's that special, and it's worth the effort, however, if you can sub in a different whiskey and get a similar result then maybe that changes things a bit.
 
Here's a Revolver recipe if anyone wants to try

2 oz. (60 ml) Old Grand-Dad Bonded Bourbon
1/2 oz. (15 ml) Tia Maria Coffee Liqueur
2 dashes Fee Bros. Orange Bitters
Flamed orange oil for garnish
Source = Anders Erickson (my favorite Youtube cocktail guy)
 
John K BBQ said:
Thanks for the tip on the Revolver cocktail. I'll look that up sometime soon. I should also revisit using Rye in the old fashioned, or try the Old Grandad 114. Subbing the peaty scotch is an interesting idea and could be a good alternative to the "Smoked Old Fashioned". I haven't tried making a smoked old fashioned myself but I've had them at friends houses and at various bars/restaurants. Frankly, I don't think it's that special, and it's worth the effort, however, if you can sub in a different whiskey and get a similar result then maybe that changes things a bit.
Click to expand...
No problem!
Once in a blue moon I get the hankering for a smoked Old-fashioned. The peated scotch is good, but I want rye whiskey in my drink. You don't need to go through the expense, time or trouble with one of those smoker thingies.

I make smoked ice. Put a pan of water in a clean* smoker, toss few chunks of whatever wood you like, and let her smoke for a few hours. After the water cools, pour it into large ice molds and use the smoked cubes for your drink.

*by clean I mean to you need to scrub the grates and any grease out of the pans. You want smoke flavor in the cubes, but not grease smoke. I learned that the hard way.
 
I like to add a smidge of this to my Manahattans. It’s got some sweetness and brings a smooth and silky texture to the beverage!IMG_4949.jpeg
 
John, thank you for calling the cocktail by its proper name! When I hear it called an “Old Fashion” my hackles raise!

Tim -- here's the man-splain for why it is called an Old Fashioned.

Today, everything from a martini to a pina colada is called a "cocktail." But the original meaning of "cocktail" was much more limited.

In the old olden days, a "cocktail" meant just one thing -- a concoction of liquor, sugar, water, bitters. So if you asked for a "cocktail", you got something resembling an OF.

As the term cocktail lost its original narrow meaning, people started instead to ask for an "old fashioned cocktail" or a "cocktail made the old fashioned way" when they wanted an OF.

The origins of the term cocktail, by the way, are obscure and debated. Some say it had something to do with horse. Others say it comes from a mis-pronunciation of the French word for egg cup. Maybe was coined in New Orleans? Who knows.

P.S. Rittenhouse Rye is the go to for OFs and Manhattans. 100 proof strong and spicy. So it doesn't get washed out in the drink. Does not break the bank.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top