Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Recipe: A Classic Bourbon Cocktail

An Elijah Craig Old Fashioned is a bourbon cocktail made by stirring whiskey with bitters and a small amount of sugar, then serving it over ice with an orange peel. It’s a classic American-style drink: simple to mix, with the bourbon’s character balanced by gentle sweetness and aromatic bitters. This cocktail is for adults of legal drinking age; please drink responsibly.

Ingredients

2 oz (60 ml) Elijah Craig bourbon
1 tsp (5 ml) simple syrup
2 dashes (about 1 ml) aromatic bitters, such as Angostura-style bitters
1 strip orange peel, about 2 in (5 cm) long and 1 in (2.5 cm) wide
1 cup (about 140 g) ice cubes for stirring
1 large ice cube, about 2 in (5 cm) across or 1.5 oz (45 g), for serving

Instructions

Chill the serving glass if you like. Set a rocks glass in the freezer while you gather the ingredients, or fill it with ice water for a minute and then empty it. A chilled glass helps the drink stay cool, though it is not essential.
Combine the drink. Add the bourbon, simple syrup, and aromatic bitters to a mixing glass or a sturdy pint glass. Measure the syrup rather than pouring freely; a little sweetness should round off the whiskey, not turn the cocktail into a sugary drink.
Add ice and stir. Fill the mixing glass with the cup of ice cubes. Stir steadily for about 20 to 30 seconds, until the drink feels very cold and the outside of the glass is chilled. Stirring cools and slightly dilutes the bourbon, softening its sharper edges while keeping the cocktail clear. If you do not have a bar spoon, use a long-handled spoon and rotate it around the inside of the glass.
Strain and garnish. Put the large serving cube in the rocks glass and strain the cocktail over it. Hold the orange peel over the drink with the colored side facing down, then gently pinch it to release its fragrant oils across the surface. Rub the peel around the rim and drop it into the glass, or rest it on the rim. Serve straight away.

Tips

Adjust sweetness in small increments. Start with the teaspoon of simple syrup, taste, and add another ¼ tsp (about 1 ml) only if you prefer a softer, sweeter finish. Syrups vary in concentration, and some bottles of bourbon taste sweeter or more robust than others. It is easier to add sweetness than to correct an overly sweet drink.
Use fresh, firm ice. Ice that has been sitting in an open freezer can pick up stale odors, which are noticeable in a spirit-forward cocktail. A large cube melts more slowly in the serving glass than several small cubes. Still, the smaller cubes used for stirring are useful: they chill the drink efficiently before it is strained.
Express the peel, not the white pith. Choose a fresh orange and cut only the colored outer skin for a bright citrus aroma. A thick piece with lots of white pith can taste bitter, especially if it is left in the glass. If you do not have an orange, use a thin lemon peel for a sharper citrus note rather than squeezing juice into the drink.
Measure bitters consistently. Bitters bottles dispense drops differently, so use the same bottle and pouring motion each time. Two dashes give a noticeable aromatic backbone without overwhelming the bourbon. If the drink tastes too bitter, reduce the bitters slightly next time instead of adding a large amount of syrup.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the Old Fashioned in a small rocks glass, also called an old-fashioned glass, with one large cube and the orange peel. The broad glass gives you room to stir the drink gently as the ice melts, while the cube keeps the presentation simple. A chilled glass is a nice touch for a warm room, but avoid filling it with serving ice well in advance: that ice can melt and leave extra water in the finished cocktail.

This is a strong, slow-sipping drink, so serve it on its own or alongside small, savory bites rather than a very sweet dessert. Salted nuts, sharp aged cheese, olives, or dark chocolate are all reasonable pairings; each offers a contrasting flavor without competing with the bourbon. For a gathering, make each drink to order or prepare a measured batch without ice, then stir individual portions with ice and strain into glasses. Keep the orange peels separate until serving so their aroma stays fresh.

Variations

Use a sugar cube. For a more traditional presentation, place one sugar cube (about 4 g) in the mixing glass with 2 dashes of bitters and 1 tsp (5 ml) water. Gently muddle until the cube is mostly dissolved, add the bourbon, and continue with the ice and stirring steps. This takes a little more effort than using syrup, and an incompletely dissolved cube can leave sweetness concentrated at the bottom.

Make it less sweet. Reduce the simple syrup to ½ tsp (2.5 ml) if you want the whiskey and bitters to come through more prominently. You can also omit syrup for a very dry version, but the drink will have less balance and may taste sharper. Try a small adjustment before removing the sweetener altogether.

Choose a different bitters profile. Aromatic bitters are the familiar choice, but a dash of orange bitters can emphasize the garnish and make the citrus more pronounced. Try replacing one of the two aromatic dashes with orange bitters first. Using only orange bitters produces a brighter, less baking-spice-like flavor, so it will taste different rather than simply stronger.

Try a smoked or maple accent. Replace the syrup with 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup for a gentle woodsy note; it can make the cocktail seem rounder and a little richer. For a smoky variation, use a small amount of smoked bitters in place of one dash of aromatic bitters. Keep the change modest so it complements the bourbon instead of covering it. Avoid adding several flavored ingredients at once, since it becomes difficult to tell which one is shaping the drink.

Make a larger batch. For four servings, combine 8 oz (240 ml) bourbon, 4 tsp (20 ml) simple syrup, and 8 dashes (about 4 ml) bitters in a clean bottle or pitcher. Refrigerate the mixture and, when ready to serve, measure 2 oz (60 ml) into a mixing glass for each drink. Stir each portion with fresh ice and strain over a large cube; do not put ice into the batch container, because it will dilute all four servings as it melts.

Storage and Reheating

An Old Fashioned is best mixed and served immediately. Ice continues to melt after pouring, so a finished drink left on the counter will become progressively weaker and less aromatic. If you need to pause or prepare drinks ahead, refrigerate the bourbon, syrup, and bitters mixture in a sealed container, without ice or garnish, and use it within 24 hours for the best flavor. Refrigerate it within 2 hours of mixing, and keep it cold until serving.

Do not save a partly melted cocktail for another day; discard it if it has been sitting out for more than 2 hours. There is no reheating step for this drink. Keep homemade simple syrup in a clean, sealed container in the refrigerator and use it within about 2 weeks, or follow the storage directions on a commercially prepared syrup. Add fresh ice and orange peel only when you are ready to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Elijah Craig bourbon good for an Old Fashioned?
Yes. Bourbon is a common base for an Old Fashioned, and Elijah Craig gives the drink a whiskey-forward flavor that pairs naturally with bitters and orange. The exact balance depends on the bottle and your taste, so begin with the recipe’s measured syrup and adjust the next serving rather than changing several ingredients at once.

Should I use simple syrup or a sugar cube?
Either works. Simple syrup dissolves quickly and makes it easy to measure sweetness consistently, which is especially convenient when mixing more than one drink. A sugar cube gives the preparation a classic, hands-on feel, but it needs to be muddled with bitters and a little water until it dissolves. If grains remain, the drink may taste uneven from the first sip to the last.

Do I need a mixing glass and a bar spoon?
No. A sturdy pint glass works as a mixing glass, and any long-handled spoon can stir the drink. A small strainer helps hold back the stirring ice as you pour, but you can use a regular kitchen strainer if needed. The important points are to stir with enough ice to chill the bourbon and to serve it over fresh ice rather than the ice used for mixing.

Can I make an Elijah Craig Old Fashioned without bitters?
You can, but bitters are a defining part of the drink’s flavor, adding a concentrated, aromatic counterpoint to the bourbon and syrup. If you are out, use a small strip of lemon peel with the orange peel for extra aroma, while knowing the result will not taste quite like a standard Old Fashioned. Avoid replacing bitters with a large splash of citrus juice, which changes both the flavor and the drink’s balance.

How do I keep the drink from tasting watered down?
Use a large cube in the serving glass, stir the cocktail until cold rather than stirring for several minutes, and serve it promptly. The ice used for stirring should be fresh and plentiful; too little ice can melt quickly and make the drink watery before it is properly chilled. A large serving cube slows further dilution, although it cannot stop it entirely as the drink sits.

Can I make this cocktail with rye whiskey?
Yes. Rye whiskey can replace bourbon in the same 2 oz (60 ml) amount. It generally gives an Old Fashioned a spicier, drier impression, while bourbon tends to bring a rounder, sweeter profile. Keep the bitters and syrup quantities the same for the first try, then adjust the syrup by a small amount if the rye tastes sharper than you prefer.

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