For the love of an Old Fashioned

Despite the name, this cocktail is the opposite of passé. Simple yet sophisticated, classic yet customizable, an Old Fashioned never goes out of style, and it is currently one of the most popular cocktails in the country..

In its traditional form, the Old Fashioned contains whiskey, water, sugar, and bitters. Later iterations often have added orange or a cocktail cherry, or both, and today, with the growing popularity of the drink, bartenders are going farther afield in their experimentation, or dialing in their recipes more with bespoke bourbons or other spirits. Some are also adding different types of citrus, or swapping the sugar with maple syrup, or adding vanilla. Smoked Old Fashioneds, often served with covers that are lifted in front of customers, allow for a dramatic presentation and potential for more social media engagement.

Market research firm Datassential reports that the Old Fashioned is found on 18.2% of menus in the U.S., up 29% over the past four years.

Click through the gallery to learn more about this Flavor of the Week and see how one restaurant is using the Old Fashioned on its menu.

Watch this video to see an Old Fashioned being made.