Old fashioned

The official recipe of the International Bartenders Association consists of four parts: 45 ml bourbon or rye whiskey, one sugar cube, a few dashes of Angostura bitters and a few drops of plain water. The IBA counts the old fashioned among the category The Unforgettables, the classics on the official list. No soda, no juice and no liqueur is added. The flavour of the cocktail therefore comes mainly from the whiskey itself, with the sugar and the bitters as a complement. That is why the choice of bottle matters more here than with many other cocktails.

You build the old fashioned directly in the glass, without a shaker. According to the IBA, it goes like this:

• Place the sugar cube in an old fashioned glass and let it soak up the bitters.
• Add a few drops of water and muddle the sugar cube until the sugar has dissolved.
• Fill the glass with ice, pour in the whiskey and stir gently.

As garnish the IBA names an orange slice or a piece of orange peel, supplemented with a cocktail cherry. Stirring gently lets the whiskey cool and dilute a tiny bit through the melting ice.

The IBA recipe calls for bourbon or rye whiskey, both American whiskeys. The difference lies in the grain. Under American regulations (27 CFR 5,143), bourbon is made from a mash of at least 51 percent corn, and rye whiskey from a mash of at least 51 percent rye. Both are distilled to a maximum of 160 proof and aged in new, charred oak barrels, with no added colouring or flavouring. The name bourbon may only be used for whiskey distilled and aged in the United States. If the label says straight, the whiskey has aged for at least two years.

You serve an old fashioned in the glass that gave the cocktail its name: the old fashioned glass, also called a tumbler or rocks glass. It is low and wide, with a thick base. That sturdy base is handy, because you muddle the sugar cube in the glass itself. The wide opening leaves room for large ice cubes and for the garnish of orange and cherry. Because the cocktail is built in the glass, you do not need a shaker or strainer, only a muddler and a long spoon for stirring.

In the shop on the Brink there are 125 bottles of whiskey from the United States, including bourbon and rye whiskey. Those are exactly the two types the IBA recipe names. On the label you can see whether it is bourbon, rye or straight whiskey, and that tells you which grain plays the lead and how long the whiskey has matured at least. Not sure which bottle suits your old fashioned, or looking for a bottle to give as a gift? Feel free to call 0570 541 278 or drop by at Brink 2 in Bathmen.

The shop is at Brink 2 in Bathmen. Open Tuesday to Friday from 09.00 to 18.00 and Saturday from 09.00 to 17.00. For advice, call 0570 541 278 or email info@bockje.nl.