Old Fashioned is one of the timeless classic cocktails that has been around since the 80s. The cocktail drink is a top-selling mixed drink ordered in most bars and before you decide to try one, let us prepare your mind with its flavor profile.
What does an Old Fashioned taste like? Read on to find out.
What Does An Old Fashioned Taste Like?
Old Fashioned has a sweet taste with some hints of bitterness and spiciness. The aroma of orange mixed with caramel and spice notes will greet you at the first sip. It is cold, and the slight dilution will tame the kick of the whiskey.
The sugar cube gives the Old Fashioned its sweet taste while the whiskey gives the spice kick, vanilla, citrus, and caramel-forward flavor.
On the other hand, the bitter notes round out the flavor and give spiciness and bitterness with hints of cinnamon and cloves.
Is It Bitter or Sweet?
Old Fashioned is sweet because the cocktail is sweetened with sugar cubes. It has some bitterness and spiciness from the bitters, but it tastes like a sweetened whiskey.
The cocktail drink contains around 4 grams of sugar per serving, and you will get an extra pop of sweetness from the undissolved sugar on your last sip.
A few dashes of bitters are added to the mixed drink, enough to give some spiciness and slight bitterness that balances the sweet taste of the Old Fashioned.
The bitters may give bitterness and spice to the Old Fashioned, but it is not enough to overpower its sweetness.
How Old Fashioned Main Ingredients Taste Like
Whiskey
Whiskey is the base liquor of the Old Fashioned cocktail, and there are different types of whiskey that you can use to make the cocktail drink.
Bourbon whiskey is the classic base liquor used for a mixed drink. It is smooth, slightly sweet, well spiced, mellow, and has a rich flavor profile.
If you want to elevate your Old Fashioned, you can try making the mixed drink with rye whiskey.
It is slightly spicier than bourbon whiskey but has the right balance and flavor profile. Some mixologists tried using rum and brandy and found the flavor interesting.
Sugar Cube
The sugar cube gives the Old Fashioned its sweet taste. You can use simple syrup to replace the sugar cubes, but if you want to go traditional, you should muddle the sugar cube with bitters or a bit of water.
The sweetness of the sugar cube mellows out the flavor of the cocktail drink. It makes the cocktail more enjoyable to sip as it smoothens the rough edges of the whiskey and relaxes you in return.
If you make Old Fashioned at home, you can try white sugar or brown sugar for the cocktail drink. In some Reddit posts, they’ve tried using maple syrup, turbinado, or demerara as sweeteners, and it gives Old Fashioned a different but interesting taste.
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Bitters
An Old Fashioned cocktail will not be completed without adding some dashes of bitters. Angostura bitters are the most common bitter used for cocktail drinks.
Angostura bitters have nice notes of cloves and cinnamon, and while the recipe is closely guarded, you will taste the gentian root, spices, and herbs it contains.
A dash or two is needed for a perfect Old Fashioned, so be careful not to add too much because it will overwhelm your cocktail.
Remember that your Old Fashioned should taste sweet, not bitter. In addition, bitters contain alcohol content, mostly at 35% to 45% ABV.
But do you know what a Martini tastes like?
How Sweet Is Old Fashioned?
Old Fashioned is sweet but not too sweet. Your taste buds will detect the sweetness from the sugar and slight bitterness from the bitters with some gentle caramel and vanilla flavor from the whiskey.
If you use a sugar cube, muddle it vigorously to avoid undissolved sugars at your last sip. Simple syrup can be a nice option because you can easily control your Old Fashioned sweetness level.
The traditional Old Fashioned cocktail is a spirit-forward cocktail, and the whiskey shines. However, the ingredients, such as sugar cubes and bitters, rounded out and complemented the drink, making it easier and more enjoyable to consume.
Read: What A Malt Tastes Like
How Strong Is It?
Old Fashioned is a strong drink, and if you think the mixers will tone down the alcohol content, you got it all wrong. A serving of Old Fashioned contains around 36%, and if you are looking for a cocktail that will not get you drunk easily, it is not for you.
To calculate the alcohol content of Old Fashioned, you can use the formula (Alcohol Content x Alcohol Volume / Total Drink Volume) x 100 [1]. Using the formula, the estimated alcohol content of a single serving of Old Fashioned is 36%.
Read: What A Dry Martini Tastes Like
Classic Old Fashioned Recipe
Prep Time: 8 mins
Total Time: 8 mins
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Bourbon whiskey
- 1 Sugar cube
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- ½ tsp water
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions:
Get your Old Fashioned glass and muddle the sugar cube with bitters and water. After dissolving the sugar, add the bourbon whiskey and ice, then stir well. Top it off with twisted orange peel to release the oils and aroma. Serve it immediately. Learn more about the classic recipe for bourbon Old-Fashioned.
Serving: 1
FAQs
Is Old Fashioned keto-friendly?
No, an Old Fashioned cocktail is not keto-friendly. The cocktail drink contains sugar, and while the whiskey is keto-friendly, the added sugar will kick you out of ketosis. If you want to stick to your diet, consume the whiskey on the rocks instead.
Why do people like the Old Fashioned?
People like the Old Fashioned cocktail because of its simplicity and amazing taste [2]. The distilled spirit shines, and the mixers do not overpower one another.
It has a nice balance of sweetness, bitterness, and smoothness that will make you want another glass-plus it is easy to make.
What does an Old Fashioned taste like?
An Old Fashioned has a rich and complex flavor profile, with notes of whiskey, sweetness from the sugar, a hint of bitterness from the bitters, and subtle citrus undertones from the twist of orange or lemon peel.
Is an Old Fashioned a strong drink?
While an Old Fashioned contains whiskey as its main ingredient, its taste is balanced and smooth, making it enjoyable even for those who may not typically prefer strong alcoholic beverages.
Can you describe the taste of each ingredient in an Old Fashioned?
The whiskey in an Old Fashioned provides warmth and depth, while the sugar adds sweetness and a slight caramelized flavor. The bitters contribute a complex and aromatic bitterness, and the citrus peel adds a refreshing citrus aroma to the drink.
Are there variations in the taste of an Old Fashioned depending on the whiskey used?
Yes, the choice of whiskey can influence the overall taste of an Old Fashioned, with variations in flavor depending on factors such as the type of whiskey (bourbon, rye, etc.), its age, and its mash bill.
Is an Old Fashioned a sweet or bitter drink?
An Old Fashioned strikes a balance between sweetness and bitterness, with the sugar providing sweetness and the bitters adding a subtle but essential element of bitterness to enhance the overall flavor profile.
Can you compare the taste of an Old Fashioned to other cocktails?
An Old Fashioned is often described as having a more robust and traditional taste compared to other cocktails, with a focus on highlighting the flavor of the whiskey while maintaining a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness.
Let’s Sum It Up
Old Fashioned tastes like a sweet whiskey cocktail with slight bitterness and spiciness. The sugar cube gives the bourbon cocktail its sweetness, while the bitters give it the spiciness and bitterness that helps balance the flavor.
Old Fashioned has a strong alcoholic flavor, but the ice and mixers make it an enjoyable and drinkable cocktail.
References:
- https://www.thespruceeats.com/determining-cocktail-alcohol-proof-760307
- https://www.eater.com/ad/20930466/history-old-fashioned-cocktail
