This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read our disclosure policy.
Like the AMC Classic that inspired it, this Mad Men Old Fashioned Recipe is fun, tasty, and has big flavor. This tasty drink is like putting the 1950s in lowball class.
Some people like to say that there is only one way to make an Old Fashioned. I believe this is wrong. Some even sneer at the notion of an orange and cherry in their Old Fashioned just as some old curmudgeon may yell to the local kids to “Get off my lawn!” It makes the old curmudgeon’s lawn that much more tempting and fun to play on, doesn’t it? Today, for our very last Old Fashioned post, we are going to go down the route of a more modern take Old Fashioned cocktail that is inspired by the AMC hit, Mad Men. Enjoy our delicious Mad Men Old Fashioned Recipe!
Mad Men Old Fashioned Recipe
Prohibition and its role in a new Old Fashioned
As we talked about in the post on the history of the Old Fashioned, prohibition changed the nature of the cocktail world. Once prohibition was repealed, there was a whole bunch of tradition and history that was damaged. Additionally, there was also a new opportunity for new traditions and history be made.
During prohibition and after, we started seeing oranges and cherries be added to the Old Fashioned cocktail. We saw the ritual of muddling right in the glass disappear. We saw the Old Fashioned turn into the kind of cocktail that both Don Draper from Mad Men and mee maw might have drunk. Sure, it might resemble a bit of a fruit salad, but fruit salads are sometimes yummy, right?
Somewhere in the past decade or so, there has been a resurgence of a more traditional Old Fashioned, and that is great. It celebrates old-timey things and looks closely at the history of the cocktail. I love it. What I don’t like is that some dismiss the orange/cherry version of an Old Fashioned as **not** being an old fashioned. Just because the definition of something might change over time does not mean there is less value to either definition. Very reputable organizations have included the orange/cherry variation of the Old Fashioned as being the standard version. It is ok to celebrate the fruity version of the Old Fashioned!
Mad Men Old Fashioned Recipe
With that, let’s get to it with the Mad Men version of the cocktail.
PrintMad Men Old Fashioned Recipe
- Prep Time: 2 Minutes
- Cook Time: 3 Minutes
- Total Time: 5 Minutes
- Yield: 1 Cocktail 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Stir
- Cuisine: American
Description
An Old Fashioned recipe that stays true to Don Draper and the Mad Men Television series.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 1 Sugar Cube
- 3 Dashes Bitters
- 1 Orange Round (+ one wedge or round for garnish)
- 1 Luxardo Maraschino Cherry (+ one cherry for garnish)
- Splash Water
- 1 Large Ice Cube
Instructions
- Place sugar cube in lowball or Old Fashioned glass
- Add three dashes of bitter
- Add Maraschino Cherry
- Add Orange
- Add Splash of Water
- Muddle
- Remove orange rind
- Add Ice
- Add Whiskey
- Stir
- Add Orange and Cherry Garnish
- Serve
Great to find your blog for amazing drink recipes!
What a great looking drink! I really love your version!
THANK YOU!
This looks fantastic – I love your version! Makes me want to go mix up an Old Fashioned right this very moment!
My husband loves that show…me not so much. He would get a kick out of this drink. Probably make one and watch an episode (or two).
What a great group of old fashioned posts! I did a ‘New England’ old fashioned recently with apple infused bourbon, and now I know I need to try your bacon recipe. As for the Mad Men old fashioned, I’m thinking that if a version of a cocktail has been enjoyed for 50 years, it’s pretty classic.
I love the show mad men and that it was your inspiration for this cocktail!
Hey, I live in bourbon country, and I say that you can make your Old Fashioned however you want! As long as you make one for me too 😉
An Old Fashioned is probably my signature drink but I don’t make them often enough at home. I should whip up another batch soon!
We don’t know much about cocktails so it’s always nice to find a blog like yours! So many interesting facts and that drink sounds amazing.
Thanks, Nicoletta!
I’ve never had an old fashion before but I LOVE bitters! I used to work at a restaurant and the smell of bitters reminded my of Christmas! I’ll have to give this drink a try!!