As you know, in the summertime I love making Margaritas. Its my thing. I make them for all of my friends and we sit outside and enjoy the sunshine. But, now that its cold and gloomy, its time to introduce you to my Fall and Winter cocktail. The 5-Minute Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned.
An Old Fashioned is a classic cocktail made of whiskey, bitters, sweetener and an orange peel garnish. Old Fashioneds are simple, timeless and delicious. Its one of my favorites for a couple of reasons: I don’t need to keep many ingredients on hand, and I don’t even need to wash a shaker when I’m done. Its the perfect cocktail for when the wintertime darkness zaps you of motivation. And the sun sets at 4:11 in the winter in Boston, so the wintertime lack of motivation is REAL.
Ingredient Breakdown
Choosing a Bourbon for an Old Fashioned
Since this 5-Minute Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned only has 4 ingredients, its important to get them right! Let’s talk about the most important ingredient first. The bourbon. Use any high-quality bourbon you know you like here. The bourbon is the backbone of this cocktail, so its important to use one that you love. I used Blanton’s Original bourbon in these. But my other favorites are: Makers Mark Makers 46, Woodford Reserve, and Four Roses Single Barrel.
Angostura Bitters
Angostura Aromatic Bitters are a strong alcohol derived tincture of herbs and spices. Its used in very small amounts in a lot of cocktails. The flavor is incredibly strong, so don’t use more that 2 dashes per cocktail. Just a couple dashes adds complexity and layers of flavor. Angostura aromatic bitters can also be mixed with soda water to settle an upset stomach.
Maple Syrup
Traditionally, an Old Fashioned uses simple syrup or a sugar cube as a sweetener. But, I think the warm flavor of maple syrup complements the bourbon perfectly so thats what I like. Just be sure to use 100% real maple syrup here.
The Classic Old-Fashioned Garnish: The Orange Peel
The peel of any orange you have on hand will work great. I used a blood orange peel. But whatever the variety of orange, be sure to twist the peel into a spiral. This helps release the essential oils from the peel so the flavor can steep into the cocktail. And don’t skip it! This humble garnish adds so much flavor.
And now you’re ready to make your cocktail! This 5-Minute Maple Old Fashioned will make you want to curl up under a blanket with your favorite book while a fire smolders in the fireplace.
5-Minute Maple Bourbon Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz High Quality Bourbon 1.5 oz is 1 full shot glass
- 1.5 tsp Maple Syrup
- 2 dashed Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- 1 2-3 inch peel of orange peeled with a vegetable peeler
- 3 Large Ice Cubes
Instructions
- Into a cocktail glass, add maple syrup and bitters. Stir with a bar spoon.
- Into the glass add ice cubes and bourbon into the glass. Stir with a bar spoon for about 1 minute to properly dilute the cocktail.
- Twist the orange peel into a spiral to release the oils, then add to the glass. Serve.
