20 Best Bourbons for an Old Fashioned, According to Experts
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If you’re eager to upgrade your home mixology game, start with what you like to drink. If you're a whiskey buff, invest in the best bourbon for old fashioneds (we'll open that up to the best ryes, too). It's the same as stocking up on the best vodka for martinis and tequila or mezcal for margaritas.
The old fashioned isn’t just one of the best whiskey cocktails ever conceived. It’s also one of the first, with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. Today, it remains as popular as ever and it’s easy to understand why. The timeless assembly of aged grain spirit, sugar, a dash of bitters, and a few drops of water yields an approachable, palate-pleasing result that's greater than the sum of its parts. Rendered with minimal effort, old fashioneds are as much a fixture of the home bar cart as it is your preferred high-minded cocktail bar. But that hardly means every example is created equal. Far from it, especially because our top pick for the Men's Journal Spirits Awards—Old Grand Dad 114 Proof—is a high-proof hooch that's basically a bottled old fashioned in its own right.
Why You Should Trust Me
I made countless old fashioneds using various types of American whiskey to arrive at the most informed recommendations. Each cocktail was constructed exactly as the International Bartenders Association prescribes: 45ml American whiskey, 1 sugar cube, and several dashes of bitters. (Learn how to make an old fashioned at home below.)
I also tapped some of the industry’s most talented tastemakers and mixologists to share their top picks and tips. My final list includes 20 bottles. That might sound like a lot, but in actuality I sipped through close to 100 offerings, over many weeks, to whittle it down to this elite cadre.
And though the drink is most traditionally, umm, fashioned with bourbon, during my tireless research I found a handful of ryes—and even an American single malt—that were sensationally suited to the task at hand. I’ve broken them down by category and, in the case of the bourbons, by way of price point. What you won't find in this roundup is Japanese whisky, Irish whiskey, Canadian whisky, or Scotch. While those choices are wonderful, an old fashioned should be made with American whiskey.
How We Choose the Best Bourbon for Old Fashioneds
Among your first considerations when choosing the best bourbon for old fashioneds ought to be its alcohol percentage, says master mixologist, spirits educator, and award-winning bartender Tiffanie Barriere, who goes by the moniker The Drinking Coach. “Personally, I enjoy a proof between 43 and 47 percent,” she tells Men's Journal.
The rest is up to personal preference. If you like your old fashioned on the sweeter side, go for bourbon; if you want to balance out the simple syrup or sugar, opt for a spicier rye.
Once you’ve landed on your own object of desire, it’s time to stir it up; the old fashioned is not one for shaking.
Best Overall Bourbon for an Old Fashioned: Old Grand Dad 114
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Orange zest, cinnamon, and burnt sugar are the signature tasting notes of Old Grand Dad 114 Proof. A few drops of water and muddled sugar help dial down the heat to form a cocktail as accessible as it is memorable. “A high-proof bruiser can be great in an old fashioned,” says Aaron Goldfarb, author of Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits. “OGD 114 fits the bill nicely," as its rounded edges are enhanced by the addition of sugar, yet it’s sturdy enough to shine through the center of the preparation with big, bold cinnamon and spice notes. "It's an economical pour to boot."
Best Cheap Bourbon for an Old Fashioned: Buffalo Trace Bourbon
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It’s shocking that you can still find Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey on shelves for under $30 considering it’s the flagship bottling from the distillery responsible for Pappy Van Winkle. Hey, we’re not complaining—especially when stirring it against sugar and bitters, where undertones of rock candy and toffee are terrifically accentuated. It's among our favorite cheap bourbons for old fashioneds.
Best Rye Whiskey for an Old Fashioned: WhistlePig Piggyback Rye
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At 11 Tigers in Manhattan’s East Village, Sayparn Wongsak is heading up a vigorously unique cocktail program, built around Thai flavors and Japanese methods. Her Knockout Tiger cocktail exemplifies the approach; it's an old fashioned with a Southeast Asian twist. It relies on Mekhong Thai Rum as its base, modified with a pandan-infused ya dong—essentially a vanilla-like moonshine. But when she wants to keep it classic, WhistlePig Piggyback Rye is her perennial go-to. “I love it because it’s both spicy and sweet,” she says. “That combination of oak, caramel, and vanilla makes it easier to adapt a variety of ingredients into the recipe, while still retaining the profile of the whiskey.”
More Whiskey We Love for an Old Fashioned
Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity
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Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity is a Kentucky whiskey that gives new meaning to the term “straight bourbon,” as it was aged for months at sea, passing through the Straits of Malaca. During its journey to the hot, humid climate of Singapore, it picks up a tropical, almost rum-like nose along with a lush and robust mouthfeel. It's among the best bourbon for an old fashioned for those seeking something on the sweeter side. It makes a dessert cocktail like no other. Read our full review of Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity.
Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series
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Sugar, (wood) spice, and everything nice, the Wood Finishing Series from Maker’s Mark is a testament to how staves of specially seared wood can affect flavor in a finely aged bourbon. The releases shift from year to year, but you really can’t go wrong mixing any of this juice in an old fashioned, because there's bound to be dried berry fruit to help enhance the sophistication of a classically sweet sipper.
Wilderness Trail 8 Year Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon
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Wilderness Trail 8 Year Bottled-In-Bond Bourbon is a 100-proof all-star that's distilled from a sweet mash, as opposed to the sour mash more typically used in the bourbon category. It holds candied cherries and honey in its finish—notes you can still discern when mixed, even with a heavy-handed application of cocktail modifiers.
Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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Blanton’s The Original Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is more than just a beautiful spirits bottle. It’s also a frustratingly precious liquid, surrendering oak, citrus, and butterscotch in alternating turns. While it's great for sipping, if you want a high-end bourbon for old fashioneds on a special occasion, it's more than worthy.
WL Weller Special Reserve
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Yes, WL Weller Special Reserve is a standout wheated bourbon that comes equipped with plenty of honeyed sweetness. But there’s a lasting oakiness to the finish that helps firm up your old fashioned into something more serious. The hardest part is finding a bottle of the whiskey itself. All things Weller have become increasingly scarce on shelves these days, so consider buying online.
King of Kentucky 15-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon 2022 Release
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Want to sip on a cocktail built around a $2,500 bottle of bourbon? Well then King of Kentucky 15-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon 2022 Release is the whiskey you’ve been searching for. The high-corn, barrel-strength behemoth stands firm with an unmistakable brown sugar nuttiness. In fact, it’s pretty much pecan pie in a glass. If you dare mix it, you might as well apply it to the right recipe. And there can be nothing more righteous than an old fashioned.
Rabbit Hole Cavehill Four Grain Bourbon
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“If rye whiskey isn’t quite your speed, a four-grain bourbon can add incredible balance and complexity to a cocktail,” says Goldfarb. Rabbit Hole Cavehill Four Grain Bourbon is a great bourbon for old fashioneds. “The sweetness of the corn and wheat along with the spiciness of the rye makes for a robust sipper with layers of flavor.”
Woodinville Bourbon Finished in Port Casks
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“Finished whiskeys can be particularly good in an old fashioned as, in many ways, they’re already a bottled cocktail,” Goldfarb points out. The beauty of Woodinville Bourbon Finished in Port Casks is “the port adds a jammy sweetness that allows you to tone down your simple syrup or sugar measurement.”
Bardstown Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
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The high-rye content of Bardstown Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon makes it a knockout punch in cocktail form. This six-year-old whiskey swaps out wheat for rye in the mashbill, comprising 68 percent corn, 20 percent wheat, and 12 percent malted barley. It’s bottled at 100 proof, as is required to be called a bottled-in-bond whiskey, and the palate is a bit sweeter with some honey, maple, and stone fruit notes. An underlying spice cuts through the sweetness and really ties everything together. This bottle is part of Bardstown Bourbon Company's Origin Series, which is made in-house.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
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"Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the perfect bourbon for an old fashioned because of its versatility,” says Patty Dennison, head bartender at Grand Army Bar in Brooklyn, NY. “With over 200 detectable flavor compounds in the finished product, the bitters and sugar in an old fashioned allow those flavors to really shine."
Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
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“My first love was Elijah Craig,” says Barriere. There’s a good reason why: Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon is elegant yet sturdy. “The brown sugar, oak, and spice just make me feel connected in some sorts,” she says. “It's smells like home.”
Larceny Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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Another bodacious bargain, this wheated bourbon clocks in at 92 proof and slides across the palate in a wave of buckwheat honey and orange marmalade. It’s not uncommon for an old fashioned to be garnished with a slice of citrus, but in this instance, the fruit is supplied, subtly, from Larceny Straight Bourbon Whiskey itself. Best of all, the price point hovers around $30 or less, making it a great cheap bourbon for old fashioneds.
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
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Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon is a legendary liquid that's distilled with a high amount of corn. It supplies a zippy sort of sweetness that shines in a properly proportioned old fashioned. It also owns a surprisingly lengthy finish, commanding attention in the cocktail long after each sip has gone down.
WhistlePig Piggyback Rye
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At 11 Tigers in Manhattan’s East Village, Sayparn Wongsak is heading up a vigorously unique cocktail program, built around Thai flavors and Japanese methods. Her Knockout Tiger cocktail exemplifies the approach; it's an old fashioned with a Southeast Asian twist. It relies on Mekhong Thai Rum as its base, modified with a pandan-infused ya dong—essentially a vanilla-like moonshine. But when she wants to keep it classic, WhistlePig Piggyback Rye is her perennial go-to. “I love it because it’s both spicy and sweet,” she says. “That combination of oak, caramel, and vanilla makes it easier to adapt a variety of ingredients into the recipe, while still retaining the profile of the whiskey.”
Barrell Seagrass Rye
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Seagrass is a wholly unique blend of American and Canadian rye whiskeys, finished in a combination of rum, madeira, and apricot brandy barrels. It offers an edge of dried tropical fruit, which works well against sugar and bitters, but its underlying identity never wavers: The spice of its eponymous grain is the primary driver of flavor. “I personally prefer rye in my old fashioneds to help cut through the sweetness of simple syrup,” says Goldfarb. “Barrell Seagrass Rye, a blend of multiple sources from multiple states and countries, is extremely complex, herbal, spicy, and ideal for mixing.” It's among the best rye for old fashioneds.
The Macklowe Kentucky Edition American Single Malt
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The Macklowe is a luxury whiskey brand specializing in American single malt—liquids distilled entirely from malted barley—meaning no corn, no rye. The Macklowe Kentucky Edition American Single Malt is an outlier on this list, yet we couldn’t resist because it works so insanely well in old fashioned form. Or, as the brand likes to call its signature cocktail preparation: Gold Fashioned. The 92-proof spirit sings with butterscotch, toffee, and candied ginger. Stir in over muddled sugar and bitters, garnish with orange twist, and soon you’ll be singing yourself.
Rittenhouse Rye
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One of the most classic—and affordable—ryes ever produced is also one that happens to work wonders in an old fashioned. Rittenhouse Rye's signature tasting notes, including vanilla, cinnamon and cooking spice, are a big reason why. “The high proof along with the pepperiness it exudes, hold up to the added sugar and bitters,” says Vincent Bolognini, head bartender at Due West in New York City. “The essence of orange adds just enough brightness without interfering with the whiskey."
Michter’s US-1 Kentucky Straight Rye
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As one of the country’s most acclaimed whiskey crafters, Michter’s applies the same level of meticulous care to its ryes as it does its famed bourbons. And the eminently complex Michter’s US-1 Kentucky Straight Rye underscores the point. It forms a lasting compact between sweet and spice; freshly baked sticky cinnamon buns and a lingering thread of caraway. “I really admire its balanced, smooth flavor,” says Wongsak. “In an old fashioned, it introduces more of the same into the mix.”
Sam Kaplan
How to Make an Old Fashioned
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube (or 1 tsp raw cane sugar)
- 3 dashes Angostura Bitters
- 1 tsp purified water
- 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
- Orange twist for garnish
Instructions
- If using a sugar cube, “start by muddling the cube at the bottom of a mixing glass,” says Barriere.
- Add bitters and water, then muddle until the sugar dissolves.
- Next, add ice. Stir for 10 seconds before adding your whiskey, then stir for another 10 seconds to chill and incorporate everything, Barriere says.
- Place a large cube of ice into a tumbler whiskey glass. Use the clearest ice you can make. We love Wintersmiths Ice Baller Double.
- Using a strainer, pour the mixture over the cube.
- Express an orange peel over the glass, then add to the cocktail to garnish.