- The really old-fashioned Whiskey Old Fashioned was garnished with just a lemon peel, and some of us can live without the orange, but a good quality, whiskey-soaked maraschino (such as Luxardo brand) is always a welcome end to a cocktail. Objections are often raised to water in an Old-Fashioned, but those who raise their voices loudest prefer to use simple syrup—made from sugar and, yes, water. Simple syrup is much easier to work with, though. One to two teaspoons, depending on your taste and what kind of whiskey you use (bourbon is generally sweeter than rye), should do the trick. If you use sugar cubes, be sure to mix (or “crush”) them with the water and bitters until they’re completely dissolved.
In a double Old Fashioned glass crush 2 lumps of sugar with 2 dashes of bitters and 2 teaspoons water. Half fill the glass with ice, add 2 ounces whiskey, and blend the mixture gently. Garnish with a cherry and a slice of orange, twist a strip of lemon peel over the glass, and drop it in. Serves 1.