Savor The Chill: Nine Old Fashioned Variations You Must Try This Season

At the crux of every fall and winter season, we find ourselves drawn to warmth and comfort, which often takes the form of a delicious drink. Enter the Old Fashioned—a classic cocktail that sparks nostalgia; this timeless concoction has been enjoyed and refined for centuries.

A deceptively simple mix of whiskey, usually bourbon or rye, bitters, a twist of citrus, and a hint of sweetness—this drink has survived the test of time, continuing to be a favorite for many as the seasons shift towards the colder months. As the chill in the air increases, and people gravitate towards flavors that create a sensation of warmth, here are nine variations of an Old Fashioned cocktails that check off all the boxes.

Honey Smoked Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Old Elk Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1/2 oz Oak Smoked Honey Simple Syrup
• 5 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• Garnish: Orange Peel

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a double old fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist. Smoke cocktail with a cocktail smoker.

Papa’s Old Fashioned

A tip of the hat to one of history’s greatest drinkers—Ernest Hemingway. A nod to his love for the tropics, it’s a sunny take on a time-honored cocktail.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Papa’s Pilar® Dark Rum
• 1/2 tsp Demerara or Turbinado sugar
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1 Large ice sphere or cube
• Orange peel

Directions: Combine sugar and bitters with a dash of water in a glass & muddle. Pour rum serving and add ice, stir. Squeeze orange peel around the rim of the glass and use as a garnish for the cocktail.

The Smoked Old Fashioned

The Smoked Old Fashioned is a delightful twist to its namesake classic. This cocktail invites you to sit back, sip, and be transported by its smoky allure.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Devil’s Gate Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Grand Marnier
• 3 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
• Garnish: Orange Peel

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a double old fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange twist. Smoke cocktail with a cocktail smoker.

Benton’s Old Fashioned

Perfect for the foodie, Benton’s Old Fashioned fuses the comforting flavors of breakfast with the sophistication of an evening cocktail. Topped with a strip of bacon and an orange peel, this is a drink that will have you rethinking your dinner plans.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Bacon Fat Washed Clyde May’s Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1/4 oz Maple Syrup
• 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
• Garnish: Bacon Strip and Orange Peel

Directions: Combine all ingredients in a double old fashioned glass with a clear ice sphere and stir until combined and chilled. Garnish with a strip of bacon and orange peel.

Bacon Fat Washed Bourbon Directions: Add 1 oz of fresh bacon fat to 375 ml of bourbon. Shake it up, put it in the fridge for 12 hours. Next, place it in the freezer for 2 – 3 more hours. Take out the bacon fat disc, and strain to catch any remaining bits. Store in the fridge.

El Pueblo

This tequila based version by mixologist Javier Martinez marries the richness of Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila with the spice of Ancho Reyes, sweetened with brown sugar syrup and complimented by chocolate bitters.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila
• 0.25 part Ancho Reyes
• 0.5 part Brown sugar simple syrup
• 2 dashes of chocolate bitters
• Garnish: Orange peel

Directions: Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir for about 20 seconds. Pour over a large ice cube. Garnish with a flamed orange peel.

Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned

A daring blend of smoky notes and sweet cherries from Big Green Egg, this Old Fashioned takes you on a flavor roller coaster.

Ingredients:

Smoked Cherries

• Big Green Egg wood chips of your choice
• 1 cup fresh cherries, pitted (sweet or sour cherries –
• 1 tbs sugar
• 3 tbs water
• Splash of the whiskey of your choice

Cocktail:

• 4 oz whiskey of your choice – 2 oz per drink
• 1 bar spoon of simple syrup
• 2 dashes of Angostura bitter
• Ice cubes
• Orange twist

Directions: Smoking Cherries—Set EGG for direct cooking at 250°F/121°C with Big Green Egg smoking chips of your choice. Place a medium disposable aluminum tray on grate to heat up. Place pitted cherries, orange twist, sugar and water in pan. Smoke for about 25 minutes. Stir and add in a splash of whiskey. Smoke for another 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool before proceeding.

Building the drink—Add a spoonful of cool, smoked cherries to the bottom of the glass. Add simple syrup, bitters and mix. Add ice cubes, rub rim of glass with orange peel and drop into glass. Add whiskey, cherries and a little juice from the pan. Stir and enjoy!

Wise Chai New Fashioned

Spice up your night with the Chai New Fashioned. It nicely mixes the cozy warmth of whiskey with the bold, spicy chai kick, creating a flavorful spin on a classic.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Wiseman Bourbon
• 1/2 oz Chai Syrup
• 2 Dashes Aromatic Bitters
• Garnish: Orange Peel, Star Anise and Smoking Cinnamon Stick

Directions: Stir in a mixing glass with ice and strain into an Old Fashioned glass over ice block, sphere or cubes. Garnish with orange peel, star anise, and smoking cinnamon stick.

Chai Syrup Directions: Brew one bag of chai tea, combine with equal parts sugar and heat until dissolved

Proper Apple

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Old Fashioned

This distinctively autumnal cocktail, garnished with a fresh apple slice, is a perfect embodiment of a cozy fall evening.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Proper Irish Apple
• 5 oz simple syrup
• 3 dashes cherry bitters
• teaspoon of water
• garnish with an apple slice

Directions: In a Boston shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz Proper Irish Apple, 2 oz Irish Cream Liqueur, and a dash of cinnamon. Shake and strain into a martini glass rimmed with crushed graham cracker. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon

Steam Engine

Imbibe in a refined twist on a classic with the Steam Engine, featuring Bib & Tucker’s Double Char Bourbon, Bénédictine, and Angostura Bitters. This drink satisfies from the first whiff to the last sip.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Bib & Tucker Double Char Bourbon
• ½ part Bénédictine
• 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
• Garnish: Expressed Orange Peel

Directions: Stir all ingredients together in a mixing glass filled with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an expressed orange peel.