Traditions and seasons are very notable on the ranch, especially during the winter months. With colder, shorter days, and longer nights we start prepping not only for the holidays but for harvest. Our earliest varieties that start coming into season are shiranui and satsumas which typically ripen in the month of December.
With December comes Christmas, which also means a time of gathering for us as a family. My mom and I enjoy trying out new cocktail recipes every year to see if we can make a new favorite, but we also have a few staples that make the cut year after year. The old fashioned being one.
Historically, the old fashioned is one of the first whiskey cocktails. It is three-part aromatic cocktail with a delightful harmony of: spirit, sugar, and bitters. When you sip the drink and can’t pick out any one of these flavors over the others, you’ve got yourself a proper Old Fashioned.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2 ounces bourbon (or rye whiskey, if preferred)
- Garnish of your choice: orange slice, citrus peel, or cherries (our choice of garnish is a Shiranui orange slice)
Steps
- Into a mixing glass add the sugar, bitters, and a splash of water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Fill the mixing glass with ice and add bourbon. Stir until well chilled.
- Strain in to your cocktail glass over ice.
- Garnish how ever you prefer.
