If you want an old fashioned that smells like the holidays, skip the sugar cube. Muddle an orange piece with sugar, bitters, a cherry and three spices instead. Cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg do the December part, and the bourbon still gets the last word.
The method hasn’t changed. Muddle in the glass, add the bourbon, stir over ice. Only the first step looks different.
Why the Spices Work in an Old Fashioned
An old fashioned is a spirit-forward drink, so whatever you add has to back the bourbon up. Ground spices do that well. They bring warmth and aroma without adding liquid, so the bourbon stays front and center.
Cinnamon is what most people taste first, and it reads as holiday baking. Ginger adds a little heat. Nutmeg rounds both out with something soft and rich.
That’s the whole case for the December name. A good bourbon already has vanilla and caramel in it, and these three spices lean the same way.
How the Muddle Works
The orange matters more than it looks. Muddling it with the sugar releases juice that helps the sugar dissolve, and the peel adds its oils to the glass. The spices ride along in that wet sugar instead of floating on top of the drink.
That’s why the recipe has you sprinkle the spices over the orange piece before it goes into the glass. They cling to the fruit, and the muddling works them into the sugar and bitters. Keep going until the sugar is dissolved, then add the bourbon.
Then stir. You’re chilling the drink and melting a little ice into it, so stir until it’s thoroughly chilled and stop there.
Choosing a Bourbon
The recipe calls for best-quality bourbon, and in a drink this short, that’s good advice. With so few ingredients, a harsh bottle has nowhere to hide. Pick one you’d happily sip on its own.
- Leans toward vanilla or caramel: a good match, because it lines up with the cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Leans toward baking spice: reinforces the spices in the glass, so go lighter on the ginger.
- Harsh or thin: the muddle won’t fix it, so pick another bottle.
Planning a whole holiday menu? Our Christmas cocktails for a crowd pair well with this one.
Ingredients
- 1 orange slice, cut in half
- Dash of ground cinnamon
- Dash of ground ginger
- Dash of ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
- 2 dashes bitters, such as Angostura
- 1 maraschino cherry
- 2 ounces best-quality bourbon
- Splash soda water, optional
Instructions
- Place 1 orange piece on a cutting board and sprinkle with the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Place the orange piece in the bottom of a rocks glass and add the sugar, bitters and cherry. Muddle until the sugar is dissolved.
- Add the bourbon and fill the glass halfway with ice cubes. Stir until thoroughly chilled. Top with a splash of soda, if using, and the remaining piece of orange.
Garnish
The garnish is already part of the recipe. The maraschino cherry goes in during the muddle, and the second orange piece goes on top at the end. That’s two pieces, and both are ingredients the drink contains.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
- The spices clump at the bottom of the glass. The muddle was probably too short. Keep going until the sugar is fully dissolved before the bourbon goes in.
- The drink tastes too sweet. Skip the optional soda, or use a lighter hand with the sugar next time.
- The drink tastes too spicy. Ginger carries the most heat, so go lighter on it. A dash is meant to be small, so use your fingertips and not a spoon.
- The drink tastes thin or watery. Too much stirring melts the ice. Stir until the glass is thoroughly chilled, then stop. Chilling the glass beforehand means you can stir for less time.
- The drink looks hazy. That’s the ground spices. They don’t dissolve completely, so a little haze is normal.
Serving and Pairing
You build this one glass at a time, because the muddle happens in the glass. If friends are coming over, set out the orange, sugar, spices and bitters ahead of time so each drink goes together as people ask for it.
It sits well beside other cozy bourbon drinks. For a second round, try the maple bourbon old fashioned with black walnut bitters or the apple cider old fashioned . The black forest old fashioned is another rich one, and the spiced pear bourbon smash makes a nice follow-up.
What to Eat With a Spiced Old Fashioned
A bourbon drink with this much spice asks for salty, smoky and rich food. Salted nuts are the classic bar snack, and roasted pecans or almonds echo the vanilla and caramel in the bourbon. Aged cheddar, gouda and other firm, nutty cheeses hold up to the cinnamon without getting lost.
Cured and smoked meats are an easy match. Prosciutto, salami and smoked sausage give you salt and fat to balance the sugar and orange in the glass. A few dried apricots or apple slices on the same plate add a little sweetness that doesn’t compete with the drink.
For a holiday dinner, roast ham, pork or duck suits it well, and so does anything with a glaze. The orange and spice in the old fashioned line up with the flavors that usually go into those dishes. Serve it before the meal as an aperitif, or with the main if you’re pouring a smaller round.
Dessert is where it really shines. Dark chocolate, pecan pie, gingerbread and sticky toffee pudding all share notes with the bourbon. The dessert charcuterie board ideas page shows how to put a few of these on one board, and the Christmas charcuterie board is a good savory option for a bigger party.
If you’re building a full evening, the cocktail party menu without bartending helps you plan food that works with spirit-forward drinks. The how to set up a cocktail party table for 8 page covers where to put everything.
Tips for Making These for Guests
Set up a small station before anyone arrives. Lay out the oranges already cut into slices, the sugar, the three ground spices in small dishes, the bitters, the cherries and the bourbon. Each guest’s drink then goes together quickly in the glass, and you aren’t hunting through cabinets.
Cut the orange ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, since every drink needs two pieces. Put the cherries in a small bowl with a spoon, so you aren’t opening the jar for every glass.
Chill the rocks glasses ahead if you can. A cold glass keeps the drink cold, which means less stirring and less melted ice. Make a stack of large ice cubes beforehand, because large cubes melt more slowly in a short drink.
Make one drink at a time. The muddle happens in the glass, so this isn’t a drink to batch in a pitcher. If you have a crowd, start the next glass while the last one is being stirred.
Keep a small towel and a dish for spent orange pieces at the station. Muddling gets sticky, and a quick wipe between drinks keeps the counter tidy.
A few mistakes come up often:
- Pouring before the sugar dissolves: Muddle first. The recipe says to muddle until the sugar is dissolved.
- Over-spicing: A dash is a small amount. Use your fingertips and err on the lighter side.
- Skipping the stir: Stirring chills and slightly dilutes the drink, and it brings the spices together.
- Using a cheap bourbon: A harsh bottle shows up in a short drink, as the bourbon section above explains.
For cleanup, rinse the muddler and glasses soon after use. Sugar and orange pulp get sticky if they dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular granulated sugar instead of superfine?
You can, but superfine dissolves more easily. If you use regular sugar, muddle a little longer. Make sure it’s dissolved before you add the bourbon, or the drink will taste gritty.
What if I don’t have Angostura bitters?
The recipe names Angostura as an example, so other bitters can stand in. Aromatic or orange bitters suit the citrus and spice here. Skip anything that fights with cinnamon, like chocolate or coffee bitters.
How do I keep the drink from getting too watery?
Stir just until the glass is thoroughly chilled, then stop. Larger ice cubes melt more slowly than small ones. Chilling the glass first helps too, since you won’t need to stir as long.
Can I skip the soda water?
Yes. It’s listed as optional. Without it, the bourbon and spices come through a little stronger.
What garnish do I use?
The cherry and the orange piece from the recipe. Each one is already part of the drink, so there’s nothing extra to buy.
One Last Thing
Which would you make first, this one or the maple bourbon old fashioned? Either way, muddle until the sugar dissolves and stir only until the glass is cold.
