The Old Fashioned is a simple bourbon or rye whisky-based cocktail that has been around for longer than you might think. The first incarnation of the Old Fashioned cocktail appeared way back in 1862, when Jerry Thomas published his infamous Bartenders Guide: How To Mix Drinks. The all-in-one guide offered instructions and recipes from the early days of cocktail mixing, but its most notable addition was that of an Old Fashioned Holland Gin Cocktail. While this iconic recipe bears the same hallmarks and namesake of the drink we now know and love, it substituted whisky for, you guessed it, Holland Gin. In fact, you’d have to travel forward almost 20 years to find the first real mention of the contemporary classic.

Aside from being one of the most famous cocktails you can make, the Old Fashioned is also one of the easiest, making it the ideal recipe for International Whisky Day. According to the International Bartenders Association, there are only four ingredients you need to make the perfect Old Fashioned cocktail. These are;

Since the Old Fashioned is essentially just alcohol, sugar, bitters and ice, the whisky matters. A lot. The entire depth of flavour will be greatly impacted by your choice of rye whisky or bourbon. To make your International Whisky Day decision a little easier, we’ve put together a short guide on choosing the best bourbon for your Old Fashioned. Here are the notes you should look for when selecting your boozy base. Your bourbon or rye whisky should;

As mentioned above, the recipe that we are using in this special International Whisky Day feature is the one put forward by the International Bartenders Association. This recipe has been refined over decades and has served as the go-to method for how to make an Old Fashioned cocktail. Best of all, it’s super simple and easy to make. Here is the method for making the perfect Old Fashioned cocktail;

Even though the Old Fashioned recipe has been around for 150 years, that doesn’t mean it’s foolproof. Bartenders and at-home mixologists have dabbled in reinventing the iconic drink to varying degrees of success. Some of the most common Old Fashioned mistakes have less to do with the method and mix itself, and more to do with the experience. For example,