The original Old Fashioned cocktail is a longtime favorite.

Crushed sugar cubes and orange rind with bourbon, bitters, and a cherry on top show why the Old Fashioned is an irresistible original cocktail.

The original mid century cocktail

No list of mid century cocktails is complete without the Old Fashioned. It has been said that this drink is what all cocktails are based on. My bartender refers to it as the original cocktail. It was Don Draper’s drink of choice on that television show and after trying one, you’ll be ‘mad’ you haven’t been drinking them all along.

This drink supposedly originated in Louisville, Kentucky at the famous Pendennis gentlemen’s club which was founded in the late 1800’s. However, some similar recipes had been kicking around since the early 1800’s. Nancy's great-grandfather is credited as a bartender who may have been the inventor, but that’s a story for another time.

Like many whiskey-based cocktails, there are plenty of variations between bourbon and rye. And sure, for a while folks in the U.S. used a lot of blended Canadian whiskey because that was all they could get during Prohibition. Today we are blessed with amazing selections of sweet bourbons and spicy ryes. Do yourself a favor and try it out both ways and see what you like. As I’ve noted before, I can appreciate the drinks made with rye, but I’m still more of a bourbon guy.

What you'll need

Some people may feel this cocktail is complicated, but it's really not. To get started here are the ingredients you'll want to have on hand:

• Bourbon
• Sugar cubes (or simple syrup--if you must)
• Bitters
• Water
• Orange
• Luxardo Cherries

Put on a show

This drink is fun to make and you can put on a show when you have friends over. Do yourself a favor and use sugar cubes for this one rather than just squirting pre-made simple syrup in a glass. There’s something to be said about soaking the cubes with bitters and adding a dramatic splash of chilled water. I like to use a splash of real Kentucky limestone water—yes, you can buy it by the bottle now. It really is worth it as the water tastes different from any other you'll use.  The ultimate part of the show is when you reach for your muddler and grind everything up. What’s that? You don’t have a muddler? No self-respecting cocktail aficionado should be without one. I prefer a wooden one that is simple and cleans up easily at the end of the night.

Speaking of sugar cubes, like everything else these days, you can go old school and use the pure cane sugar white squares—my preferred approach, or use a craft sugar rock or even a Demerara cube. I personally stay away from the brown sugar cubes because that’s all I taste when I use them.

Tips for success

To prepare this cocktail you need the right tools, especially the muddler. I prefer to muddle and mix the drink in a mixing glass rather than the glass I drink it from. That's because when I strain the cocktail into the drinking glass, any undissolved sugar and orange bits stay in the mixing glass and it makes for a 'cleaner' cocktail.

1. Muddle a little extra orange peel with the sugar to give it a little extra flavor.
2. When using the orange peel, don't cut too deep and get into the bitter rind of the orange--you'll want to just skim the orange skin.
3. Don't forget to 'express' the orange peel. The orange scent adds to the drinking experience.

Onto the main event with the heavyweight champ—The Old Fashioned, the original cocktail. 

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