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Best Whiskey for an Old Fashioned: My Hands-On Take

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Note: This is a creative, first-person piece written for storytelling. I’m speaking as if I’m behind my own bar at home.

First, a tiny confession

I fuss over Old Fashioneds. A lot. I like that first sip to feel warm, bold, and a little sweet, not syrupy. I want the orange oils to pop. I want the bitters to hum. Big goals for a little glass, right? If you’re curious how I landed on these preferences, I laid out the full tasting journey in my hands-on guide to choosing the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned. For an even broader consensus, you can skim Liquor.com’s succinct roundup of the best whiskeys for Old Fashioneds to see how my picks stack up.

My Old Fashioned playbook (the simple one)

Here’s the base I reach for when testing whiskey:

  • 2 oz whiskey
  • 1/4 oz rich Demerara syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters
  • Big ice cube
  • Orange peel, expressed over the glass

Stir with ice till the outside of the mixing glass feels cold. Strain over a big rock. Twist the peel. Don’t skip the twist. It matters.

Now the fun part: which whiskey?

The bottles that shine (and why)

  • Old Forester 100 (bourbon, 100 proof)

    • Bold, a touch of banana bread, warm spice. It stands up to bitters. Great price. My steady weeknight pick.

  • Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond (rye, 100 proof)

    • Peppery and lively. Think baking spice and cola. If you like snap and less sweetness, this hits.

  • Wild Turkey 101 (bourbon, 101 proof)

    • Big, friendly, and a bit rugged. It likes a richer syrup. Orange peel sings here.

  • Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond (bourbon, 100 proof)

    • Budget hero. Vanilla, toffee, a little oak. Makes a “how is this so good?” Old Fashioned.

  • Four Roses Single Barrel (bourbon, ~100 proof)

    • Fruity and clean. Sweet cherry note. Smooth but not dull. A step-up treat.

  • Woodford Reserve Double Oaked (bourbon, 90.4 proof)

    • Dessert vibes: cocoa, toasted oak, caramel. I cut the syrup to 1 barspoon here, or it gets too sweet.

  • Buffalo Trace (bourbon, 90 proof)

    • Gentle and balanced. Brown sugar and soft spice. Great with one extra dash of Angostura to boost the body.

  • Maker’s 46 (wheated bourbon, 94 proof)

    • Round and soft with a spice glow from those staves. Use less syrup. Orange bitters help it pop.

  • Pikesville Rye (rye, 110 proof)

    • Big rye spice with cocoa edges. I add one more dash of orange bitters to keep it bright.

Little trials that taught me stuff

  • Rainy night test: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond with Demerara and two heavy dashes of Angostura felt like warm toffee and orange steam. Cozy, not cloying. I kept sniffing the glass between sips. Weird? Maybe. Worth it.

  • Date-night fix: Woodford Double Oaked with a micro pour of syrup—just a barspoon—and a fat orange twist. It tasted like chocolate orange cake. I didn’t plan that. I just grinned and nodded like, yep, that’ll do. If you’re plotting a romantic evening in the City of Light and want someone to share that perfectly dialed-in drink with, this Paris hookup guide can help you line up a like-minded companion and even point you toward bars where an Old Fashioned still steals the show. And if you happen to be shaking up your date night a little closer to the Rockies, say in northern Colorado, the vetted companion reviews at Erotic Monkey Greeley can steer you toward friendly company who’ll be just as eager to toast your cocktail handiwork.

  • “Spice it up” mood: Rittenhouse Rye with one extra dash of orange bitters. Sharp, lively, and tidy on the finish. No flab. It cut through a salty pizza like a champ.

  • Backyard hang: Wild Turkey 101, standard build, but I swapped in a lemon peel when I ran out of oranges. It felt brighter and a touch lean. Not classic, still fun.

Tiny gear and ingredient notes (that make a big difference)

  • Sugar: Demerara syrup gives body. White sugar often tastes thin. If your whiskey is softer (like Buffalo Trace or Maker’s), the richer syrup helps.

  • Bitters: Two dashes Angostura + one dash orange is my base. With rye, I keep that orange dash. With very oaky bourbons, I sometimes skip the orange and go all Angostura.

  • Ice: A big cube melts slow. If you only have small cubes, stir less. You don’t want a watery start.

  • Peel: Express over the glass, then rub the rim. You’ll smell it first, which tricks your brain—in a good way.

Want to see how those tweaks actually look in the glass? I mapped out each variation with photos and step-by-step notes on Add This Mark.

When I pick rye over bourbon

If I want snap, I reach for rye. It’s peppery and dry, so the drink lands clean. Rittenhouse is the easy call. Pikesville is the muscle pick. Rye also helps when I’m serving snacks that are salty or fatty. It cuts through and keeps the sip bright. On nights when I skip whiskey altogether and pour something grape-based, I turn to the elegant bottles highlighted in the best cognacs I actually drink.

Quick picks by mood and price

  • Best budget: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
  • Best “do it all” bourbon: Old Forester 100
  • Best spicy: Rittenhouse Rye Bottled-in-Bond
  • Best treat: Four Roses Single Barrel
  • Best cozy dessert style: Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
  • Best backyard pour: Wild Turkey 101
  • Best soft and smooth: Buffalo Trace or Maker’s 46

Want another informed angle? The crew at Master of Malt breaks down their own findings on what is the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned, and their short list overlaps with several bottles on mine.

A small curveball

Elijah Craig Small Batch is nice too—warm oak, nutty, sweet—but it can get a bit syrupy if you’re heavy-handed. Keep the syrup light. Then it clicks.

My final pour

You know what? The “best” whiskey for an Old Fashioned depends on your mood. If I had to keep only two for guests and weeknights, I’d stash Old Forester 100 and Rittenhouse Rye. One leans warm and round. One leans sharp and lively. Both make a strong, honest glass. Of course, if the evening calls for wine rather than spirits, I reach for a red from the best Cabernet Sauvignon I’ve actually drunk and loved list—proof that the same balance of boldness and nuance can live in a stemmed glass too.

And that first sip? It should taste like your day just shifted one gear softer. Not sleepy. Just smooth.

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