The definitive cocktail of the dram drinker, The Old Fashioned is so simple using just whisky/whiskey, a sugar cube, a little dash of Angostura bitters and an orange twist.
Like with all recipes so simple though, the base ingredient has to be good quality so you need a whisky that can live up to the headline act billing. There are so many directions you can take the Old Fashioned in using your drink of choice, be it smoky, zesty, spicy, or sweet, so have a read through of these bottles and the effect they’ll have on making a stunning Old Fashioned.
Classic Glen Moray
A complete favourite here at The Three Drinkers with so much flavour for the money. Fresh and sweet Speyside orchard fruits flood the palate, with rich honey and vanilla bringing sweetness and just a touch of lemony zest to keep you on your toes and add subtle refreshment to the cocktail. Such a popular and reliable Scotch and for good reason.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £24.74
Jura 10 Year Old Whisky
We can never praise Jura enough, a really characterful distillery on a tiny Scottish isle that sits at the centre of a resilient community which saved the production years ago and has gone on to completely flourish since. Jura 10 is now a prized inclusion in Jura’s core range, adored for its delicate, fragrant smokiness intertwined with velvety, sweet honied raisin notes and hints of cocoa and vanilla. A decade of maturation in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels, followed by a sherry cask finish, imparts complexity and depth on your Old Fashioned too.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £33.90
Deanston Virgin Oak Single Malt
We loved sipping our way through Deanston on our podcast, and their Virgin Oak Single Malt is perfect for cocktail versatility. Crafted by hand, it matures in ex-bourbon casks from a Kentucky cooperage, then blooms in virgin oak casks, creating a subtly zesty and spiced character that will really bring out the best in the Angostura. Aromas of heather honey, green apples, and citrus zest lead to candied fruits and creamy toffee on the palate, all before a lingering finish with spices and honeyed malt. And let us tell you, this tastes so much older than it actually is so the value here is immense.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46.3%
Find here: £27 (usually more!)
Glenturret 12 Year Old
Glenturret’s 12-year-old is always a stunning dram, and the latest batch is no different. European oak and American oak hogsheads casks boast creamy vanilla, and spiced, dried fruits that create a really appetizing profile in an Old Fashioned. The warmth of the spice here, with that touch of ginger in particular is a dream in the cocktail.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find here: £64.90
GlenAllachie 15 Year Old
A real crowd pleaser and favourite of Billy Walker, GlenAllchie’s 15 year old is masterfully enhanced by sherry casks boasting dark chocolatey fig notes with indulgent mocha, honey and treacle flavours. The spices are sweet, there’s tremendous warmth, there’s smoothness and balance – it’s so complete. A jewel for Old Fashioned enthusiasts.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 46%
Find here: £66.95
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Whisky
If you’re bored of Old Fashioned’s always ending up the same, then this is the one for you. Not a beginner’s choice, this is a dram that embraces the essence of Islay with quintessential peated single malt delivering serious smoke and a touch of medicinal, seaweed character. A decade of Bourbon cask ageing marries those peat notes with warm spice for a full body that carries a little surprising fruity sweetness and sprinkles of salt. Rich and briny, this will take your cocktail in directions you never expected.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £39.45
Well, now you’ve got the whisky, how about the Old Fashioned? Master the traditional recipe going back centuries here, and experiment with twists too – especially check out the Maple Old Fashioned!