In 1798, in London England, the word ‘cocktail’ was used, and this term changed the course of our drinking habits, for the better, from then on! However, it was still unclear what this term actually meant until the New York editor, Harry Croswell published in 1806 “Cock-tail is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters”. (Stephenson, 2019). There we have it, this is the recipe of the Old Fashioned that we know and LOVE! (The water part comes from the breaking down of the ice, but of course some people add a splash anyway).
So next time you order an Old Fashioned, you could just ask for a Whiskey Cocktail. Okay no you can’t because you might get any one of the dozens of delicious whiskey cocktails available. However, when you do drink an Old Fashioned, you should savour the fact that it is steeped in history.
Recommending Woodford Reserve!
Reference:
Stephenson, T., 2019. The curious bartender's whiskey road trip. 1st ed. London: Ryland Peters & Small, p.47.
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