There isn’t a mixed drink with an American whiskey base more iconic than the Old Fashioned. Not only is it essentially the world’s first whiskey cocktail, but to this day it remains one of the most commonly ordered.
The history of the Old Fashioned dates back to the pre-Prohibition days, and since then, it’s spawned a number of popular variations. Part of that is because the base recipe includes just three simple ingredients — making it an ideal cocktail to riff on. This also speaks to the history of Old Fashioned, with the name initially referring to a style more than a specific drink. Patrons ordering a drink in the “old fashioned” style meant a return to the simple three-ingredient recipe because, in the middle of the 19th century, bartenders had already begun expanding their cocktail menus with versions that included more exotic ingredients and more creative concoctions.
So what is the drink, exactly?
It consists of Angostura bitters, sugar, and whiskey, occasionally a splash of water, with an orange expression, and the peel for garnish. Some popular riffs call for a muddled orange wheel or even a cocktail cherry, either muddled, added as a garnish, or plopped right into the glass, but today, we’re keeping it simple. After all, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
If you can master this simple cocktail recipe, you’ll see just how easy it is to explore variations and put your own spin on it. Heck, once you’ve got it all figured out, you can make things even simpler by outsourcing most of the work and buying a ready-to-drink Old Fashioned or pouring an Old Fashioned Syrup with your favorite whiskey.
That said… let’s learn the rules before we start bending them.
Finally, if you’re going to make the perfect Old Fashioned, then you’ll need the star of your show to be Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool and not Ryan Reynolds in Green Lantern. That’s to say, we need the right star for the project! Old Fashioned recipes of, umm, old, call for rye whiskey rather than bourbon, but because the bourbon version is the most popular way to prepare the drink today, we decided to put them both to the test. The question is simple: what’s the best commonly available whiskey for an Old Fashioned?
These are all whiskeys you’re likely to encounter at your favorite bar:
• Buffalo Trace Bourbon
• Bulleit 95 Straight American Rye Whiskey
• Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon
• Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
• Knob Creek 9 Year Small Batch Bourbon
• Maker’s Mark
• Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye
• Old Forester 100 Proof Rye
• Rittenhouse Rye
• Wild Turkey 101 Rye
As one final note, here are the ingredients and proportions we’ll be using for our Old Fashioned recipe:
• 2oz. Whiskey
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• 1 tsp. of sugar
• 1 tsp. of water
• 1 orange peel
Add sugar and water to a mixing glass and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then add bitters, fill the glass with ice, and pour in the whiskey. Stir until properly chilled (approximately 20 seconds), and then serve over a big ice cube. Use your orange peel to express the drink, drop it in the glass, and enjoy.
Now it’s time to mix it up and rank them all to find the best Old Fashioned recipe!
10. Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $29
The Old Fashioned:
This Four Roses Small Batch Old Fashioned is medium-bodied and surprisingly mellow, given that Four Roses Small Batch has a nice spice kick on its own. There’s definitely black pepper and rye spice here, which is to be expected, and it offers a nice third layer to the sweet and citrus accents in this drink, but overall, it’s just not that robust.
Bottom Line:
Four Roses Small Batch is a great bourbon for mixed drinks in general, but in this matchup, it just comes off as a bit too middle-of-the-road, producing a solid, albeit forgettable Old Fashioned.
Score: 7.8/10
9. Knob Creek 9-Year Small Batch Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $34
The Old Fashioned:
This Knob Creek Old Fashioned has more baking spice in it than any of the other bourbons on our list. This drink has a lot of black pepper and earthiness, which is a welcome wrinkle. However, the citrus and sweetness are a bit more restrained, and the mouthfeel isn’t quite as robust as we’d like.
Bottom Line:
This is another great middle-of-the-road option that allows the base spirit to lead the way, relegating the sugar and citrus to the background of every sip. If you’re looking for a boozier take on a classic Old Fashioned, you won’t be disappointed here by any means, but we can still raise the bar a bit higher.
Score: 8.4/10
8. Buffalo Trace Bourbon
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $45
The Old Fashioned:
Our Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned leans more heavily into light sweetness, with top notes of citrus and vanilla but also honey and white pepper. There’s some brown sugar on the back end; overall, it’s medium-bodied but refreshing.
Bottom Line:
This is exactly what you should be looking for: a well-balanced cocktail that allows all of the ingredients to come together harmoniously. Unlike the previous two cocktails, you’re not going to have a single complaint about the Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned, and it shows exactly why this recipe is so beloved. That said, we’re looking for the best and not just very good. Let’s continue on.
Score: 8.5/10
7. Bulleit 95 Rye Whiskey
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Old Fashioned:
As the first rye on our list, the Bulleit Rye Old Fashioned has lots of cherries with clove and nutmeg. While the citrus is relegated to the passenger seat and the whiskey steers the ship, the alcohol burn is almost imperceptible. If it’s at all unclear, that’s a credit and not a criticism.
Bottom Line:
What makes the Bulleit Old Fashioned so fun is its intriguing mix of fruitiness and baking spice, which will keep you returning to the glass and appreciating both sides of the flavor spectrum. If there were one nit to pick, it would be that these flavors aren’t as balanced as those of other Old Fashioneds further down on this list.
Score: 8.7/10
6. Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Bourbon
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $19
The Old Fashioned:
With an Evan Williams Bottled in Bond Old Fashioned, you can expect plenty of honey and nuttiness, which accents the citrus well, pushing it a bit to the background while not being overly proofy. The base whiskey really holds its own here and takes the lead in the cocktail, with some black pepper spice playing off the sweetness.
Bottom Line:
This is the Old Fashioned recipe for you if you love the honey-sweet and nutty-earthiness of Evan Williams Bottled in Bond. Both of those aspects really shine through. Because the base spirit leads so strongly, you will be sacrificing a bit of balance, but this is one delicious Old Fashioned all the same.
Score: 8.8/10
5. Old Forester 100-Proof Rye
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $32
The Old Fashioned:
Our Old Forester Rye Old Fashioned has an interesting hazelnut, nutmeg, and black pepper strain running through it. The pepperiness plays well with the citrus while still allowing some sweetness to stand up to the rest of the notes, making for a well-balanced melange of medium-bodied flavor.
Bottom Line:
An Old Forester Rye Old Fashioned is for you if you want a classic cocktail with unexpected flavors. The atypical flavor profile, which highlights the peppery baking spice notes of its base whiskey, works really well here and offers balance while being a bit off the beaten path.
Score: 8.9/10
4. Michter’s US*1 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye (Barrel #2401149)
ABV: 42.4%
Average Price: $35
The Old Fashioned:
The Michter’s Rye Old Fashioned leads with nutmeg, brown sugar, and black pepper, showcasing the base whiskey’s boldness. Despite the rye whiskey’s evident presence in this cocktail, it remains incredibly easy to drink and has a creamy medium-bodied mouthfeel that keeps it from being cloyingly sweet.
Bottom Line:
This is just incredibly well-rounded stuff. On its own, Michter’s US*1 Rye might be the best sipping rye on this list, and in an Old Fashioned, it provides a really strong base for the cocktail. This is the Old Fashioned for you if you’re looking for more dark sweetness than white sugar and citrus tend to offer.
Score: 9/10
3. Wild Turkey 101 Rye
ABV: 50.5%
Average Price: $32
The Old Fashioned:
The Wild Turkey 101 Rye Old Fashioned is absolutely bursting at the seams with honey sweetness, a slight nuttiness, and an undercurrent baking spice. The citrus floods the back end of each sip, rounding out the drink’s full-bodied mouthfeel.
Bottom Line:
This Wild Turkey 101 Rye Old Fashioned is simply excellent. It has balance, a ton of flavor, and treads ever-so-slightly off the beaten path, making it an intriguing alternative to more middle-of-the-road recipes. That said, if this is your go-to Old Fashioned, you’ll also find plenty to like, as the base whiskey elevates the cocktail’s ingredients while remaining firmly at the front of the flavor wheel.
Score: 9.3/10
2. Maker’s Mark
ABV: 45%
Average Price: $30
The Old Fashioned:
Woah! Right off the bat, this Maker’s Mark Old Fashioned is remarkably full-bodied, but the profile is mellow. The flavors seamlessly integrate between the gentle oak tones and brown sugar of the base whiskey and the cocktail’s ingredients. The orange expression does push some of that to the side, making this a more citrus-forward take on an Old Fashioned, but overall, this is a wonderfully balanced cocktail that highlights the best of every ingredient.
Bottom Line:
Maker’s Mark should be considered the standard bearer if you’re interested in a bourbon-based Old Fashioned. Simply put. The mellow flavors Maker’s Mark is world famous for are still stout enough to show through in our Old Fashioned but adaptable enough to bolster the sweetness and citrus notes the classic cocktail is known for.
Score: 9.5
1. Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky
ABV: 50%
Average Price: $28
The Old Fashioned:
Savoriness and black pepper spice sing right away in this Rittenhouse Rye Old Fashioned, with a sweet citrus undertone that makes it really shine on the palate with a medium-bodied texture that aids the savory aspect. There’s an abundance of oak, vanilla, orange, and brown sugar here, and the depth of those flavors is simply unmatched.
Bottom Line:
Rittenhouse Rye was born to be a cocktail mixer, and there isn’t a single mixed drink where it shines brighter than in an Old Fashioned. This rye-based Old Fashioned does everything to showcase why rye was the original inspiration for the drink, bringing plenty of baking spices to balance out the sugar and citrus and even going so far as to lead the flavors without being too boozy, maintaining an impressive balance even after the ice begins to melt. There’s no question: Rittenhouse Rye is the best readily available whiskey you can choose for an Old Fashioned.
Score: 10/10
Final Thoughts:
In the battle of rye vs. bourbon in an Old Fashioned, it seems only natural that the original rye recipe tends to win out. That said, the more modern inclusion of bourbon in this cocktail can still be quite phenomenal, with Maker’s Mark in particular making quite a run at being the best commonly available whiskey for an Old Fashioned. I’d highly recommend trying both versions to see which you prefer, but we think you’ll agree that if you could only use one whiskey for an Old Fashioned, Rittenhouse Rye is the king of the hill.
