An Old Fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey or, less commonly, brandy, and garnishing with orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry.
TonicDB editorial guide
The Old Fashioned is a lesson in restraint: whiskey remains the main flavor while sugar, bitters, water, and orange round its sharper edges. Small changes in sweetness and dilution are easy to taste because there is no juice or mixer to cover them.
Saturate the sugar cube with bitters and only enough water to help it dissolve, then muddle until no large crystals remain. Add the bourbon and ice and stir until the outside of the glass feels cold; dilution should soften the whiskey without thinning it.
A heavy rocks glass and one large cube slow down further dilution. Express an orange peel over the surface and run it around the rim before adding it; the citrus oil belongs in the aroma, while the fruit itself does not need to be mashed into the drink.
Undissolved sugar creates a drink that starts harsh and ends syrupy. Too much water at the muddling stage causes the reverse problem. Measure the small splash, and avoid crushing the orange and cherry unless you intentionally want a fruitier regional style.
Rye whiskey makes a drier, spicier version, while a small spoonful of demerara syrup adds a deeper caramel note and eliminates the dissolving step. Keep the bitters at two dashes first, then adjust after tasting the whiskey you chose.
These notes explain how to execute and adapt the recipe shown above. Ingredients and serving traditions vary, so taste and adjust thoughtfully.
Contributed by @alfg