This cinnamon old fashioned is Christmas in a cocktail and you’ll want to sip in all throughout your festive holidays!
Recently I watched this great TikTok from Diffords Guide Australia that demonstrated how to make the classic old fashioned cocktail and provided some interesting history on how the drink came about. In the 1800s cocktails were defined as any spirit mixed with water, sugar and bitters. The old fashioned as we know was called a whisky cocktail at the time.
Jane Ryan, editor of Diffords Guide Australia, goes on to say that by the 1870s, bartenders were pretty sick of mixing spirits with water, sugar and bitters. They begin to experiment with new and more exciting liqueurs that are coming on to the market. A lot of these new concoctions were hit and miss – drinkers didn’t always appreciate the bartender’s creativity. So it became common during this time for customers to request an ‘old fashioned whisky cocktail’. Such an interesting story!
People stay away from an old fashioned because of the assumption that it is overwhelmingly potent. However, ingredients are stirred with ice, so really, you can be control of how heady your drink is.
If you haven’t already guessed, the twist on this old fashioned is that I used cinnamon syrup. It’s very easy to make, and keeps in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of weeks. Very worthwhile making your own to get that wonderfully warming cinnamon flavour synonymous with Christmas. Instead of regular sugar, I opted for brown sugar to add that extra caramelly note to the drink.
Andrea 🥃
Cinnamon Old Fashioned
Ingredients
Cinnamon Syrup
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup water
Cinnamon Old Fashioned
- 60 mL bourbon
- 15 mL cinnamon syrup
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
- Orange twist
Instructions
- To make the syrup, add all ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat, add lid and set aside to steep for two hours. Once cooled completely, pour into an airtight jar and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
- To make the cinnamon old fashioned, add bourbon, cinnamon syrup and bitters into a cocktail mixing glass. Add ice and stir gently – chill and dilute to your own preference.
- Prepare a rocks glass with a large ice cube or sphere. Strain liquid into glass and garnish with orange twist.
Looking for more festive drinks? Try my Frangelico Sour.
