Fancy Old-Fashioned

It is the 1800s, and cocktails are a crude mixture of ingredients trying to hide bad tasting whiskey. A time when mixing bitters, sugar, and liqueur with your whiskey is an elegant drink. Today it is a simple everyday drink we call the fancy old-fashioned. 

The fancy old-fashioned cocktail

A mixture of bitters, superfine sugar, triple sec, and whiskey. We are using Dripping Springs Distilling’s 1876 Texas Straight Bourbon Port Barrel Finished. The whiskey is 80% corn and 20% rye. The caramel and brown sugar on the nose and the dark berry flavors pair well with the orange from the triple sec.

To complement the liqueur, we use orange bitters instead of Angostura. You can use a combination if you want. 

Superfine vs. regular (granulated) sugar

The difference is the size of the crystals. Granulated is more coarse than the superfine. The advantage of the smaller particles is they dissolve quicker, perfect for cocktails. It is hard to find at the store, but you can make your own. 

You will need a food processor or powerful blender, like a Ninja. 

How to make superfine sugar

• Measure the granulated sugar. Add a little more than you need, but it will be close to a 1 to 1 ratio

• Add the sugar to the food processor or blender and process at high speed.

• The amount of sugar determines the length of time it needs to blend.

• You want to stop before it is a powder.

For more detailed instructions, you can visit Spruce Eats.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Whiskey

• .5 oz Triple Sec

• Dash of bitters

• .5 oz or 1 tablespoon superfine sugar

• Optional garnish: orange or lemon peel

How to make the fancy old-fashioned

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain into a chilled glass. You can serve it up or on the rocks. Garnish, an orange or lemon peel is optional. 

Be sure to check out all the Texas Whiskey cocktails you can make at home.