Old Fashioned Cocktail (In Honor of National Happy Hour Day)
I'm just using the opportunity to share my favorite cocktail recipes with people who love my recipes. In honor of learning about this unofficial holiday, where people look forward to half-priced appetizers and the opportunity to experience recommended new cocktails that their favorite hole-in-the-wall pub has prepared for them, or just experiment with cocktails at home. Even though there are some new, exciting flavors to try, sometimes going back in time is the most solid option.
The Old Fashioned is a simple cocktail that is made with spirits, bitters, water, and sugar. Traditionally, an Old Fashioned is made with brandy but over time different variations come out that include whiskey, typically bourbon. The Bourbon Old Fashioned and the Rum Old Fashioned. Don't get me wrong, they all have their own flavor profile, but I definitely recommend trying the original so you can experience how the drink developed over time.
Flavor Options for Making an Old Fashioned
Using an aged rum to make an Old Fashioned adds a lot of different notes to your drink. It adds notes of vanilla and caramel while rounding out the harsher edges that rum can typically have. These flavors marry well with bitters and orange zest to create a complexity that you wouldn't have from a rum that wasn't aged. You can also add a little bit of funk to your drink by using a Jamaican rum that has hugo. Looking for something that is more similar to whiskey? Choose a gold rum from an area like Barbados because they typically age their rum in whiskey barrels. If you only plan on enjoying one Old Fashioned, try it with a navy strength rum (be careful with this idea because you want to remember your trip home).
Ingredients
- 2 Ounces Dark Rum
- 1/2 Ounce Maple Syrup
- 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
- Orange Twist or Cherries, For garnish
Instructions
- Add dark rum, maple syrup, and Angostura bitters in a mixing glass, with ice and stir until chilled.
- Strain your drink into a chilled glass. Garnish with orange twist or cherries.
This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2024 Cara Garrison
