Old Fashioned

The original cocktail — quite literally: the first written definition of the word “cocktail” in 1806 describes exactly this drink. Ingredients: bourbon or rye whiskey, a sugar cube or rich syrup, Angostura bitters, an orange peel, ice. Method: 1) Soak the sugar with bitters and a splash of water in a tumbler and stir to dissolve. 2) Add the whiskey and a large ice cube; stir until cold and silky. 3) Express the orange peel over the glass and drop it in. The experience: spirit-forward and timeless — whiskey deepened, not disguised, with citrus oils glowing over warm spice. History: through the 1800s this was simply how a cocktail was made; when bartenders began adding everything else, traditionalists demanded theirs “old-fashioned.” Legend also ties it to Louisville's Pendennis Club in the 1880s — either way, it never went out of style.