Old Fashioned

America's oldest cocktail, created circa 1880, the Old Fashioned is a stripped-back masterpiece of rye or bourbon whiskey, a sugar cube, Angostura bitters, and an orange peel. It was the original definition of a "cocktail" before the term broadened to include all mixed drinks. Its enduring simplicity has made it a benchmark of bartending craft. Compared to the average modern cocktail, the Old Fashioned has 40% fewer ingredients, yet it commands a 25% higher price point in upscale speakeasies.