Ok, so it’s Holiday times and you are probably wondering which cocktails to make for Thanksgiving, Xmas, Chanukah, Boxing Day and all those damn parties you’re going to have between now and New Years Eve. Don’t drive yourself crazy, just make some Old Fashioneds!

I swear to you, the last three parties that I’ve made cocktails at have included variations on the Old Fashioned and everyone just loved them. It’s such an easy Cocktail to make and you can have so much fun with the ingredients! Plus, you can use any spirit you want in an Old Fashioned! Well, except for Vodka, yuck, don’t ever do that.

The best thing about an Old Fashioned is that no matter what you use in it, the Formula stays the same:

2 oz Spirit

1 barspoon Sweet/1 lump of sweet

2 Dashes of Bitters

1/4 oz Water

Garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Spirit, Sweet, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sweet is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish. Drink. Repeat.

Here are five Old Fashioneds to keep your guests happy and praising your Home Bar Skills:

Rye Old Fashioned: This is the Cocktail that started it all. No seriously, the Old Fashioned is actually the first drink that can be considered a cocktail. The drink got its name toward the end of the 19th Century when bar patrons were asking for a drink “the Old Fashioned way”. That Old Fashioned Cocktail was a drink consisting of Whiskey, Sugar and Bitters. Its modern equivalent is what you see above: Rye Whiskey, Angostura Bitters, Sugar, Orange Peel and/or Maraschino Cherry.

Rye Old Fashioned:

2 oz Rye

1 Barspoon Demerara/Turbinado Sugar

2 dashes Angostura Bitters

1/4 oz Water

Orange Peel and Cherry garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Rye, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnishes.

Bourbon Old Fashioned

2 oz Bourbon

1 Barspoon Brown Sugar

2 dashes Orange Bitters

1/4 oz Water

Orange Peel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Bourbon, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Apple Brandy Old Fashioned

2 oz Apple Brandy

1 Barspoon Maple Syrup

1 dash Black Walnut Bitters

1/4 oz Water

Maraschino Cherry garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Apple Brandy, Maple Syrup, Bitters, Water, and stir until Maple Syrup is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Añejo Tequila Old Fashioned

2 oz Añejo Tequila

1 Barspoon Agave Nectar

2 Dashes Orange Bitters

1/4 oz Water

Orange Peel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Tequila, Agave, Bitters, Water and stir until Agave is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

Aged Rum Old Fashioned

2 oz Aged Rum

1 Barspoon Brown Sugar

2 dashes Bittermens Elemakule Tiki bitters or Angostura Bitters (island spiced bitters)

1/4 oz Water

Lime Wheel garnish

Build-in-glass: Add Rum, Sugar, Bitters, Water, and stir until Sugar is nearly dissolved. Add ice, stir until Cocktail is well chilled, and garnish.

*BONUS ROUND: Try to do a 50/50 split on the Spirit. I love to do Gin/Bourbon or Gin/Rye for the split. Apple Brandy/Bourbon also works really well together.

Good luck to you with all your Hosting in the Holidaze!