re: Is an Old Fashion a good or bad way to be introduced to whiskey/bourbon?

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I've always been curious about bourbon

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A good bourbon is magic, and sipping on it straight is a connection to your heritage, as it is the only truly American spirit.

The dichotomy of bourbon, is that, even a mediocre one becomes magic when mixed with Coke on a football Saturday in the fall.

There is nothing so utterly American as being the best when you're at your best, and being the best when you're at your worst.

I'm done with my Old Fashioned, now drinking a Kentucky Mule.

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A good bourbon is magic, and sipping on it straight is a connection to your heritage, as it is the only truly American spirit.

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Wrong. Rye was more prevalent during colonial days and early America, and arguably has just as prominent a place as bourbon.

I've been wanting to get into whiskey since finishing mad men. I'm not sure what they are drinking at the office, but it looks like just straight whiskey.

Anyone know what it is?

Why don't you just try whiskey by itself?

Currently sipping on an old fashioned with Low and Slow rock and rye with demarera simple syrup with orange and aromatic bitters. Had a more traditional one during the game, this is a nice change of pace

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Went through a liquor phase, had an awful experience, and decided to go beer only.

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Some people are just predisposed to like beer our bourbon. Even in high school I never really got into the beer drinking scene. Friends would be drinking beer and I would have a bottle of whiskey sipping on it. Same way in college. I could not really understand the pure volume involved in drinking beer. Never liked anything enough to sit around and drink 10 to 20 12 oz cans of it.

You evidently have a much better trained palate than most bourbon drinkers, especially someone who is new to the experience. I agree with you about the definition of "good" but every novice needs some base from which to work in their bourbon experiments.