The Best Old Fashioned I Ever Had
Quick Answer
The best Old Fashioned starts with a good bourbon, a touch of sweetness, and a couple of dashes of bitters — then a few small upgrades take it over the top. This version uses Four Roses Small Batch bourbon with a splash of Cointreau and Luxardo maraschino liqueur for depth, Angostura bitters, an orange peel, and a Luxardo cherry, finished with a quick kiss of oak smoke. Shake with ice, strain over an orange-rubbed glass, add the cherry, and smoke for 10–15 seconds. It keeps the classic backbone of an Old Fashioned while adding gentle orange, cherry, and campfire notes.
The Best Old Fashioned I Ever Had
The old fashioned cocktail is a cocktail as rich with history as flavor, and my personal favorite drink of choice. I love the simplicity, complexity, aroma, flavor and even the history of it. An old fashioned can be whipped up in a matter of seconds with 3 simple ingredients of whiskey, bitters, and simple syrup, or it can be crafted carefully with many ingredient and garnish variations. The best old fashioned I ever had stuck to the roots of the classic cocktail with just a few small, yet delightful changes, which changed my taste for the cocktail forever.
Flavor Alert! Try our new Aged & Charred Old Fashioned Mix
I settled into a local bar one after noon after enjoying a Kansas City Royals baseball game. After a few cold beers at the game it was time for a change. This particular bar was known for their craft whiskey concoctions, so I didn't hesitate to place my order for an old fashioned. I didn't have a good view of the bartender, but the staff behind the bar moved so quickly it would have been hard to keep up even if I did. Shortly after, the cocktail arrived. A few observations worth pointing out:
- The drink was served in traditional low ball whiskey cocktail glass
- There were no ice cubes, sphere, or block
- The orange peel garnish was in the drink, not on the rim; cocktail cherry rested on the bottom of the glass
- The smell of toasted wood and very slight wave of smoke still visible on the drink was very intriguing.
I started with a swirl and whiff. First, the clean and refreshing smell of the orange peel hit me followed by the campfire-like smoke aroma, and finally the whiskey and sweetness finished it off. This smoked cocktail now had my attention and I couldn't wait to take my first sip. The drink did not disappoint. First the drink mix had clearly been shaken with ice before being poured into the cocktail glass. I loved it chilled like this. I had always made my own Old Fashioneds on the ball or cube of ice. The cool temperature of this shaken cocktail held up surprisingly well through out the cocktail, although it's hard to say because it didn't last long.
All of the flavors and portions of ingredients just worked perfectly in this cocktail. The whiskey was the most present flavor, which is what you want. The bitters and other ingredients just complimented it. I didn't hesitate to order another when the waitress returned and I facetiously asked the waitress to bring the recipe back with the next drink. To my surprise, she did! Down to the 1/8 oz of ingredients, she had it written down for me on a napkin with the liquor brands and instructions included. I always thought recipes at craft cocktail bars like this one, the recipe was the secret sauce and therefore they wouldn't be so quick to share it. Perhaps this isn't typically the case.
So, now I pay it forward by sharing the details here with you. I hope you enjoy your version as much as I did mine. It's been a few years since I had this smoked old fashioned and although many have come close, it is still the undefeated champion in my history of old fashioned cocktails.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
- .5 oz Cointreau Orange Liqueur
- .125 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- Orange Peel
- Luxardo Maraschino Cocktail Cherry
- Wood chips for cocktail smoker
See our post for the Best Old Fashioned Smoker
Instructions
- Rim cocktail glass with outside of orange peel and add orange peel to empty glass
- Combine bourbon, liqueurs, and bitters in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake until chilled
- Strain liquid into cocktail glass over orange peel, keeping the ice out of the drink
- Add cocktail cherry to drink and give it a quick stir
- Smoke the cocktail with oak wood chips; I prefer the Smoke Lid by Aged & Charred ;) Allow smoke to stay settled on the drink for 10 - 15 seconds. The longer it is covered the more smoke flavor will be added to the cocktail, but be careful not to over smoke the drink.
I hope you enjoy this cocktail as much as I did. If you ever come across an old fashioned which could give this one a run for its money, please leave the location in the comments and I'll add it to my list.
Cheers,
Jim Chief Marketing Officer, Aged & Charred
Want every garnish in one box? Our Ultimate Old Fashioned Kit pairs our Old Fashioned syrup with Amarena-style cherries and dehydrated orange slices.
Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec in an Old Fashioned?
What sets this recipe apart from a classic Old Fashioned is the half ounce of orange liqueur. It brings the orange from the garnish into the drink itself. The recipe calls for Cointreau, but you can swap in another orange liqueur and still land somewhere great:
| Orange liqueur | What it is | What it does in this Old Fashioned |
|---|---|---|
| Cointreau | A clear, triple sec-style orange liqueur | Keeps the orange bright and clean. This is the version in the recipe above. |
| Grand Marnier | French Cognac blended with orange liqueur, 40% ABV (per Grand Marnier) | Adds a richer, brandy-backed orange with a little more weight. Use the same half ounce. |
| Other triple sec | A generic orange liqueur; sweetness varies by bottle | Works fine. Start with a little less and taste, since some are sweeter. |
How This Recipe Compares to the Classic
| Classic Old Fashioned | This recipe | |
|---|---|---|
| Whiskey | 45 ml (about 1.5 oz) bourbon or rye | 2 oz bourbon |
| Sweetener | 1 sugar cube and a few dashes of water | 1/2 oz orange liqueur and 1/8 oz maraschino liqueur |
| Bitters | A few dashes of Angostura | 3 dashes of Angostura |
| Method | Stirred over ice | Shaken, strained into the glass without ice, then smoked |
| Garnish | Orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry | Orange peel and a cocktail cherry |
The classic column follows the International Bartenders Association's official Old Fashioned. Want to pick your own bottle? Our guide to the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned compares 12 of them, and our Old Fashioned variations take the drink in other directions.
Grand Marnier Old Fashioned Recipe
If you searched for a Grand Marnier Old Fashioned, here is the version we make at home. It skips the maraschino and lets the Cognac-based orange liqueur carry the sweetness, so you don't need any sugar or syrup.
- 2 oz bourbon (a small-batch bourbon works well)
- 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters, plus 1 dash orange bitters if you have it
- Orange peel and a cocktail cherry
Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds, strain over one large cube, then squeeze the orange peel over the glass so the oils land on top. To smoke it, cover the glass for 10 to 15 seconds with oak or cherry wood chips; cherry plays nicely with the orange.
How to Make It Without a Smoker
No smoker yet? The recipe still works. Stir the bourbon, Cointreau, maraschino liqueur and bitters with ice instead of shaking, strain over a large cube or into a chilled glass, and express the orange peel over the top. You lose the campfire aroma but keep the orange-and-cherry character that makes this one special. When you're ready to add smoke, our guide on how to smoke a cocktail walks through every method.
Batch It for a Party
This is an easy cocktail to batch for the holidays because there is no citrus juice to go flat. Mix everything except the garnish in a bottle or pitcher, add a little cold water to stand in for the dilution you would get from shaking, and chill it for at least two hours. At serving time, pour about 3 oz over an orange peel in each glass, add a cherry and smoke each glass for 10 to 15 seconds, adding a fresh pinch of chips every glass or two.
| Ingredient | 1 drink | 4 drinks | 8 drinks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bourbon | 2 oz | 8 oz | 16 oz |
| Cointreau | 1/2 oz | 2 oz | 4 oz |
| Luxardo Maraschino liqueur | 1/8 oz | 1/2 oz | 1 oz |
| Angostura bitters | 3 dashes | 12 dashes (about 1 1/2 tsp) | 24 dashes (about 1 tbsp) |
| Cold water | none (shake instead) | 2 oz | 4 oz |
Hosting a crowd or shopping for a gift? Our Ultimate Old Fashioned Kit has the syrup, cherries and dried orange slices in one box.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes the best Old Fashioned?
A great Old Fashioned comes down to balance: a good whiskey, just enough sweetness, a couple of dashes of bitters, and a quality garnish. Small upgrades — a splash of orange liqueur, a Luxardo cherry, and a brief smoke finish — add depth without burying the classic character of the drink.
What bourbon is best for an Old Fashioned?
A solid small-batch bourbon like Four Roses Small Batch works beautifully, because it is bold enough to stand up to the bitters, sweetener, and smoke. In general, a bourbon with good body and vanilla-caramel character makes the best base for an Old Fashioned.
Do you shake or stir an Old Fashioned?
Traditionally an Old Fashioned is stirred, not shaken, to keep it silky and clear. This particular recipe shakes the ingredients with ice and then strains them over a fresh orange peel, which chills the drink quickly and adds a little texture. Both methods work — it comes down to preference.
How long should you smoke an Old Fashioned?
About 10 to 15 seconds under the smoke is a good starting point. The longer the glass stays covered, the smokier the drink becomes, so taste as you go and be careful not to over-smoke it. For the full method, see our smoked Old Fashioned guide.
Can you use Grand Marnier instead of Cointreau in an Old Fashioned?
Yes. Grand Marnier blends French Cognac with orange liqueur, so it gives the drink a richer, brandy-backed orange compared with the brighter, cleaner orange of Cointreau. Use the same half ounce and adjust to taste.
How much orange liqueur goes in an Old Fashioned?
This recipe uses 1/2 ounce of orange liqueur to 2 ounces of bourbon, alongside 1/8 ounce of maraschino liqueur and 3 dashes of bitters. That keeps the whiskey in front. If you are using a sweeter triple sec, start with a little less and taste.
What is an orange Old Fashioned?
An orange Old Fashioned is an Old Fashioned where orange does more than garnish the glass. A half ounce of orange liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier replaces most or all of the sugar, and the orange peel is expressed over the drink. The result keeps the whiskey in front with a brighter, fruitier finish.
Can you make Old Fashioneds ahead for a party?
Yes. Mix the bourbon, liqueurs and bitters in a bottle with a little cold water for dilution, chill it for at least two hours, and pour about 3 oz per glass when guests arrive. Since there is no citrus juice, the batch holds up well in the fridge. See the batch table above for 4 and 8 drinks.
How do you make this Old Fashioned without a smoker?
Stir the same ingredients with ice instead of shaking, strain over a large cube or into a chilled glass, and express an orange peel over the top. It won't have the smoky aroma, but the orange and cherry notes still come through.
