A Classic Whisky Cocktail – Old Fashioned.
I love the fact that classic cocktails – the kind that my dad used to make without too much hassle – are making a comeback. One classic whisky cocktail, an Old Fashioned is one of the best ways I know to enjoy a single malt, and it’s also incredibly simple to put together. Much as I love the ‘fine dining’ cocktails you get in London’s top bars, just as I enjoy a well-prepared steak or a platter of oysters with traditional service, cocktails like the ‘Old Fashioned‘ are classics for a reason.
What better excuse to indulge in practising my skills at making an Old Fashioned than Burns Night on 25th January – except that, an ‘Old Fashioned’ isn’t actually a drink from Scotland at all, but one which some say originated in Louisville Kentucky at the Pendennis Club in honour of Col. James E. Pepper. Of course, that means rather than being traditionally made with whisky, it would have been made with Bourbon whiskey. Other theories include that the classic whisky cocktail was named after a famous racehorse of the time called ‘Fashion’ or that it was simply the result of customers asking for their whiskey to be served the ‘old fashioned’ way. Whatever the truth, it wasn’t until 1895 that recipes were published for Old Fashioned cocktails, in George Kappeler’s book ‘Modern American Drinks’. Given the collection included a number of ‘Old Fashioned’ cocktails, for Whiskey, Brandy and Gin, it seems likely that the origin of the ‘Old Fashioned’ we know today was, quite simply, that customers were asking for their drinks to be served in a traditional form.
George Kappeler’s Whiskey Old Fashioned is quite simple. You need a lump of sugar, a little water, two dashes of Angostura bitters, ice and lemon peel. And, about 60ml of whiskey. All you do is dissolve the sugar in the water, before adding the remaining ingredients and mixing with a small bar-spoon. He suggested serving with the spoon in the glass.
Meanwhile, the lovely people at Glen Moray have been sharing their own Old Fashioned recipes with me. Last year, at about this time I shared the Port Cask Finish Old Fashioned, which is made with Earl Grey Syrup. This year, I’m going back to the classic and sharing a classic whisky cocktail recipe for an Old Fashioned. It’s one of those recipes which is so simple there are only a few things you can do to make it different but I do think it’s important to remember a few details.
Firstly, you need to use the right glass – a short tumbler. I’ve made mine in one of my Father’s old crystal glasses because I think he’d approve of this particular cocktail.
Secondly, the garnish of orange and a cocktail cherry is important.
Finally, although this would traditionally have been made with bourbon, I believe it’s the quality of the spirit which matters. Glen Moray is a classic whisky, a Speyside single malt, which is the starting point for a range of single malt whiskies. All Scotch Whisky must be matured in oak casks for a minimum of three years but is often matured much longer. Finishing, by transferring the whisky to empty casks that previously held other wines or spirits adds a depth of flavour from the interaction of the spirit with the wood of the cask.
Glen Moray, which celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2017, is still distilled in pot stills, from water and malted barley, then carefully matured in American oak casks. The result, a typical Single Malt from Speyside, is soft and fruity. Glen Moray has a peated whisky which is made by drying the barley with peat smoke before distillation. I am yet to try it but which my own island heritage (my Father’s side of the family comes from Mull and Skye) means I am likely to have a taste for it. There’s a sherry cask finish and a port cask finished whisky. And then there are the aged whiskies. Twelve, fifteen and eighteen years aged – that means the youngest whisky used is the stated age.
For a classic Old Fashioned whisky cocktail, I’d recommend using the Glen Moray Elgin Classic.

A classic whisky cocktail - The Old Fashioned
- 50 ml Glen Moray Elgin Classic
- 1 Sugar Cube
- 2 pieces Orange peel
- 2 Cocktail Cherries
- 3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 teaspoon Water
- Ice cubes
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Take one piece of orange peel, squeeze it to express the zest and then rub the peel around the inside of a whisky tumbler.
-
Muddle the sugar cube, bitters and water in the tumbler until smooth
-
Add the cherries, with 3 ice cubes
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Add half the whisky and stir well
-
Top the glass up with ice cubes and add the remaining whisky
-
Garnish with a twist of orange peel
Recipe Video
A classic whisky cocktail - Old Fashioned
If you just can’t wait here’s where you can get your hands on a bottle right now. And do let me know in the comments below what your favourite whisky cocktail is.
Glen Moray Elgin Classic Single Malt Whisky is available from: Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Tesco, Amazon, masterofmalt.com and thewhiskyexchange.com.
RRP: £20 for 70cl. ABV: 40%
The Glen Moray Elgin Classic Gift Pack is available from: Amazon, masterofmalt.com and houseofmalt.co.uk
RRP: £25
Whisky sour
A Sweet Manhatten
A Hobnail
A mint julep 🙂
Whiskey Sour
Rob Roy
Ginger Grouse – Fill a glass with ice, squeeze a wedge of lime and drop into the glass. Add a measure of The Famous Grouse. Top up with ginger beer/ale, stir and serve
Whisky and Elderflower Cobbler.
Old Fashioned
a Manhattan
a simple classic – manhattan but with an added orange twist
A Manhattan
Whiskey Manhattan
love a manhatten xxxxxxxxx
A Whiskey Sour.
Rusty Nail
Old Fashioned
Whisky Sour 🙂
old fashioned
Whisky sour
whisky sour
Never actually felt the desire to ruin a smooth single malt by chucking other things in with it :o)
I love an Old Fashioned – ever since Mad Men
Coke, peanuts and whisky – an alternative take on a classic formula. Pour some Coca Cola into glass, chuck in some roasted peanuts before finishing off with some of your favourite whisky et voila, a dream cocktail is yours!
Gotta be a classic Manhatten 😍
I love a whisky sour.
Old-fashioned whisky cocktail is my favourite.
Whisky Sour… perfect cocktail
Definitely a Manhatten
Old Fashioned!
A whisky mac is my favourite
a whisky sour is my favourite
Mostly I drink my whisky neat, but in a cocktail I love an old fashioned.
Whisky sour
Espresso Old Fashioned
Manhattan
Whiskey sour
Not really a cocktail but a hot toddy always goes down well
Manhattan
Whisky Sour
Old Fashioned!
an old fashion or a hot toddy coffee with a good splash of whisky definately helps keep the cold out fantastic giveaway x
hot toddy
Scotsman Colada
The Classic Manhattan Cocktail has to be my favourite.
Sweet Manhattan cocktail
old-fashioned 🙂
Rusty Nail for me .
Ginger Whiskey Cocktail
I love a good old whiskey sours
Manhattan Cocktail
A Sweet Manhattan Cocktail
a Mint Julep
It sounds like I’m copying, but I do actually love an Old Fashioned! Had an amazing one on holiday last year prepared in a smoke box – a great way of fancying up a simple drink!
Manhattan Cocktail
A manhatten
Hot toddy, 100% !
Whisky sour
Whisky sour
Manhattan
Hot toddy, perfect for a cold winters evening
Love an old fashioned, to sit and sip on a cold night.
Whisky sour
A manhattan would have to be my favourite ‘classic’ coctail, but I love trying new and inventive ones too
Whisky Mac
Manhattan, definitely one of my favourites.
whisky sour 🙂
A Manhattan
love a Manhattan
Wel if an Irish Coffee doesn’t count as a cocktail then it would have to be a good old fashioned Manhattan :0)
The Manhattan cocktail.
Whisky Sour
Whisky Sour for me
I like a good Old Fashioned
I love a Seelbach and a Rust Nail Cocktail!
My favourite whisky cocktail has to be the manhattan
Love a John Collins!
Oh, whisky sour all the way!
Whiskey Sour
Old Fashioned
A manhattan
Manhattan Cocktail
A Double Single Malt
Manhattan Cocktail
whisky sour
For me personally it has to be a manhattan cocktail
Whisky Sour
A Manhattan
Old Fashioned
Love a John Collins!
Manhattan
Can’t go wrong with an Old Fashioned.
It has to be a Manhattan for me
Manhattan Cocktail
The Bryn Collins, perfect fin the summer
Manhattan for me
Personally I don’t like Whisky but hubby loves it so I am trying to win for him. I don’t know about Cocktail but, he always liked Whisky & Canadian.But like he said why spoil a great Whisky by diluting by adding to it. He has a point!
I love a classic Manhattan. Makes me feel very Sex and the City!
I love cocktails, my favourite whisky one is a Manhattan
old fashioned
I don’t drink cocktails but this Single Malt would make a lovely present.
Manhattan for me for sure
Whisky Mac but it has to be served via a hip flask in the depths of winter 🙂
The Blood & Sand
Mint Julep
Old fashion, for me
Has to be a Whisky Mac
I love a Whisky sour, it’s so refreshing with the punchy lemon and smoothness from the egg white
Whisky Sour.
A Manhattan all the way for me
Mint Julep! Mmm
Whiskey Royale
Manhattan!
John Collins
a manhattan
I love a Whisky Mac
I have recently tried Old Fashioned, and I love it!
Manhattan always
I just like my whisky neat on ice.
I love a whiskey sour 💕
A libertine would go down nicely
gin,soda and fresh lime
The good old Old Fashioned.
Manhattan 🙂
I really don’t think I have ever had a whisky cocktail to tell you what my favourite is! One to try in 2019 I think!
The Godfather………..
Whisky sour
A Manhattan
Manhattan Cocktail
A Whiskey Mac. Drank several over Crimbo.
Manhattan!
The Manhattan Cocktail for me x
Manhattan. Cocktail
The Libertine
Manhattan for sure!
Manhattan Cocktail
A whisky sour – but to be honest I’d rather drink whisky neat
whiskey sour
Manhattan cocktail
hot toddy when I’m feeling a bit low
My signature drink has always been Manhattan
I like whiskey sour
I love to drink whisky in a Scotsman Colada Cocktail.
old fashioned, or lynchburg lemonade
Either a Manhattan or recently I’m partial to a Rob Roy.
a whisky mac
We aren’t whisky fans, but I suspect my partner’s Dad would like this Old Fashioned, he likes an occasional dram.
Whiskey Sour or a desert Cranachan with a bit of whisky in the oats
fabulous!
A Manhattan for me !
My fave is a Manhattan
a whisky mac!
A Whiskey Sour x
Hot Toddy are fantastic
Old Fashioned
Whisky Sour!
I ilke whiskey and lemonade
I love a Scotsman Colada cocktail super refreshing and full of flavour!
Whisky Sour for me
I do like a Manhattan, but I usually have my whisky neat xx
A Whiskey Sour
I love a Whiskey Sour 🥃
A Whisky Mac
Highball
Has to be a Manhattan
Whiskey soar
The Mint Julep
The Golden Dram
A Manhattan for me please 🙂
I like a Manhattan
Whisky sour
Whiskey Sour
A Manhattan
Whisky mac
Whisky sour.
I don’t have a favourite Whisky cocktail. I prefer just whisky and ice
Whisky sour
A Manhatttan 🙂
Whiskey sour!
Me been Old Fashioned it has to be an Old Fashioned
I remember trying my first Manhattan in Luxor in Las Vegas; wasn’t keen to begin with but it grew on me and now every time I drink it it reminds me of my amazing trip 🙂
Whiskey Sour
Whisky Mac in this weather!
I am a big fan of a whiskey sour although the egg puts me off! love to try this
Whiskey and Coke for me
I think mine is probably an Old Fashioned – but I’ve yet to meet a cocktail that I didn’t like 😀 XXX
Whisky Mac (hot version) is my favourite.
whisky sour
Whiskey sour
A whiskey sour for me
I love a Manhattan
A mint julep
Can’t beat a Scotsman Colada , my favourite
My favourite is a whisky sour
Can you believe I’ve never had a whiskey cocktail? Rum, gin, vodka yes but not whisky…. probly coz my partner drinks single malt and would probably consider it some form of sacrilege to have it with anything but a drop of water!
An old fashioned It’s really tasty
I like a hot toddy i especially in the winter time
Brass Monkey
normally straight whisky and water but Fantastic ideas
I have to admit to never having tried a whisky cocktail so no favourites for me.
it is an old-fashioned
Rusty Nail for me.
Manhattan Cocktail for me…
Nice… 🙂
i like the occasional whiskey & coke 🙂
whisky mac – especially at this time of the year
manhattan
Whiskey Sour for me
can’t beat an Old Fashioned!
Whisky Sour
A Whisky Sour
The Manhattan Cocktail for me 🙂
A whiskey sour
A whisky sour.
You know, I don’t think I’ve ever had whisky in a cocktail, I always just have it straight!
Manhattan Cocktail
old fashioned
whisky milk punch
whisky sour
Whiskey Sour
I have never had a whisky cocktail because I always drink it straight or with ginger, so your recipes are a nice idea for me to try out next time.
Whisky sour does it for me
Whiskey Sour
An old fashioned. I was inspired to try it by Don Draper 😊
Manhattan Cocktail
You should never mess with whisky making cocktails! Straight is the only way to drink a whisky!
My favorite whisky cocktail is a Manhattan
I only ever drink whisky neat with ice or with ginger beer but the ‘old fasioned’ recipe does sound interesting so will have to give that a try
I love a classic whisky sour
Love a Whisky Sour.
Scottish coffee
Manhattan
whiskey and coke
Manhattan
It just has to be a whisky sour for me
I love The Libertine
The Mint Julep for me!
I like a Manhattan
classic manhattan
Old Fashioned
has to be the classic whiskey and coke
A Whisky mac
Celtic Mix (Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey, ginger and lemon).
Whisky sour
I always enjoy a whisky and coke served with ice
Hot Toddy or Scotsman Colada
Don’t drink Whisky, this would be for my son
Manhattan
Would have to be Manhattan Cocktail.
I just like it neat
The Manhattan Cocktail is my favourite.
Old Fashioned
whiskey and coke
Whisky Sour!
Make mine a Manhattan please!
got to be whisky sour
Quite Partial to a Rusty Nail
Brassmonkey
A Rusty Nail is my tipple
New York Sour
Od Fashioned
A whisky sour is my favourite
Manhattan
Cocktails of any sort are a rare treat, however, I remember enjoying a whisky sour.
I’d have to go for a Whiskey Mac – love them
Old fashioned whiskey and coke 😋
I love a whiskey with ice and lemon
A Manhattan when im on Cunards QM2
A Rusty Nail
A Velvet Elvis
mine is whiskey and coke x
The Manhattan Cocktail, fab competition thanks for the chance x
Just like whisky neat with one ice cube
a velvet elvis!! mmmmm
an old fashioned mmmm
A Hot toddy!
The Sweet Manhattan cocktail as it’s so refreshing and my friends really like it too when they come over for a night in.
A whisky old fashioned
Old Fashioned
A whisky sour
Classic Manhattan
Whisky old fashioned
A Manhattan
I love Hot Toddies in winter, but if that’s not counted as a cocktail, I also love a Manhattan!
A Manhattan my fave x
I like a hot toddy in winter. I also like to put whisky in hot chocolate, which gives it a lovely warming flavour.
What is your favourite classic Whisky cocktail?
The Libertine
a Mint Julep is one of my favourites
Old Fashioned
Mint Julep
The Dramble…. a twist on an old cocktail called The Bramble…
Whisky Sour!
A Manhattan
I like a straight forward whiskey and coke
John Collins
I like the Manhattan Cocktail
I’ve only recently come across the Old fashioned Whisky cocktail, and this is now my favourite.
Whiskey Sour
a whisky mac
Hot Toddy
Manhattan cocktail