Traditional bourbon old fashioned recipe

Name: Traditional bourbon old fashioned recipe
Prep time: 2 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1 Cocktail
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 oz bourbon; 1 splash of water; 1 Sugar cube (made here); 3 dashes Angostora bitters; 1 slice lemon peel; 1 large ice cube; 1 Old Fashioned or Lowball glass

This post may contain affiliate links. I may receive commissions for purchases made through links in this post. September 25, 2017 (Last Updated: May 15, 2018)

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Let’s make a great drink! We have looked at the history of the Old Fashioned and the elements that make this great cocktail. Today, we are going to construct the best damn possible bourbon Old Fashioned recipe. Click here to go straight to recipe.

Ingredient choices in this bourbon Old Fashioned recipe

As discussed in our previous posts, this classic cocktail has taken many turns and evolutions that have resulted in a variety of recipes. Each may be an Old Fashioned, but I am going to get a little opinionated about the kind of drink I want to make for my traditional Old Fashioned.

The Old Fashioned roots go back to the early 1800s and the Whiskey cocktail, but my drink is going to steal mostly from the era of the late 1800s. We are using raw sugar, block ice, and muddling in the glass. And as far as fruit goes, a simple lemon peel squeezed over the top and placed in the drink.

I really have had a fun time looking into the Old Fashioned cocktail. There is such a rich and interesting history that not only speaks to the drink, but is a reflection of American history. I hope you enjoy my take on a traditional Old Fashioned!