For more of Sean Ludford’s pithy prose, check out his website, Bevx.com.
The Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail whose base spirit is whisky, most often bourbon. However, in the modern bar many variations exist including the use of rye, blended Scotch whisky, or brandy. Despite the many different twists, the Old Fashioned always uses a brown, wood-aged spirit as its base and the maraschino cherry is ever present. This version showcases quality aged rum as it too has an affinity with bitters and fruit, the two, key supporting players.
Ingredients
1 brown sugar cube
4 dashes Angostura bitters
1 dash of molasses
1 Maraschino cherry
1 orange slice
2 1/2 oz Aged Rum (best quality such as Mount Gay “Extra Old”, Barbados Rum)
splash of club soda
Method
Place the sugar cube in a large tumbler, or old fashioned glass, and drench in the bitters and molasses, allowing the sugar to dissolve a bit. Add the maraschino cherry and orange slice and muddle (smashing with a muddler in order to release essential flavors) all of the ingredients together. Fill glass with ice and top with the aged rum and a splash of club soda. Garnish with maraschino cherry and an orange slice.
My mother (88) has had Old Fashions before dinner for 50 years or more. She has always used Jacque Bonet brandy, a slice of orange peel (mulled), a dash of sugar, a few dashes of biters (Angostura), Torani cherry juice and a splash of water. Nothing is better!
Perhaps that’s the elixir of longevity!