With Father’s Day right around the corner, now is the time to perfect your Old Fashioned skill set to impress family and friends. Always a reliable, well-rounded cocktail, the Old Fashioned has withstood the test of time- quick to build or craft a few at once for a crowd, it’s an easy sip on Sunday afternoon with the family. Give these Old Fashioned variations a try!
1. Classic Old Fashioned
If you’re new to the world of bourbon or rye, the classic Old Fashioned is the best place to start. A cousin to the Manhattan, it’s a great cocktail to have up your sleeve. Once you’ve mastered it, you can expand the profile by changing the bitters or flavor of the base spirit, including peach-infused bourbon or even going so far as to swap in tequila for an Oaxaca Old Fashioned.
2. Oaxaca Old Fashioned
While an Oaxaca Old Fashioned deviates from the classic Old Fashioned by using mezcal in place of bourbon, it would be amiss not to mention this Old Fashioned riff. We really enjoy Shaker Makers version from Death and Co. as it’s a tasteful balance of warm and smokey but stays true to its roots as an Old Fashioned.
3. Maple Pecan Old Fashioned
While the flavors of maple and pecan might invoke more of a fall feel, it’s a great example of how you can create an entirely new cocktail by using maple syrup in place of sugar and opting for pecan bitters. If one of these flavors doesn’t work for your profile, only use one or substitute a different bitters.
4. Orange Old Fashioned
This riff is the one that most closely mirrors a classic Old Fashioned and is best for those that don’t want to venture too far. The Orange Old Fashioned uses both orange bitters and angostura bitters, giving a new subtle brightness and depth to this cocktail.
5. Vanilla Old Fashioned
If a sweeter Old Fashioned is preferred, the Vanilla Old Fashioned is an easy answer. The warmth of the vanilla simple syrup with a few dashes of the chocolate bitters brings out different flavors in the whiskey.
6. Espresso Old Fashioned
If an Irish Coffee is a standard Sunday drink for you, then an Espresso Old Fashioned is a great swap. Using coffee bitters and espresso simple syrup, this Old Fashioned becomes a decadent cocktail without too much sweetness. If it’s too hard to break with the Irish Coffee tradition, then a Bourbon Wake-Up or Espresso Martini with bourbon is the ideal middle ground.
7. Spiced Dark Cherry Old Fashioned
This Spiced Dark Cherry Old Fashioned is a rich, flavorful twist with a hint of fruit- it’s suitable for all-season sipping and brings a new depth to the classic cocktail. If you don’t have spiced whiskey on hand, it’s easy to infuse bourbon at home with cinnamon, allspice, or cloves.
8. Nutty Old Fashioned
This Nutty Old Fashioned by Chenaholic is an easy afternoon drink– a nutty flavor with some chocolate tones, it’s deliciously sippable. Kevin adds amaretto and creme de cacao to balance the sharp bourbon in this gorgeous drink.
9. Summer Old Fashioned
With Father’s Day coming toward the end of June, it’s fitting to include a Summer Old Fashioned. In this riff, The Gameologist uses cherry-infused blended whiskey and lime syrup to brighten things up. If you want to continue down the path of tropical Old Fashioneds, we also enjoy his Rum Old Fashioned.
10. It’s about Thyme
This Old Fashioned riff relies on thyme syrup to shake things up. The herby, bright flavor lightens up this drink and reminds us of shady, spring days. If thyme doesn’t work for you, you can always use herb-infused syrups that you prefer, such as rosemary.
