re: Whiskey/Bourbon/Scotch appreciation thread Volume II

Hadn’t had this before. Very good.

That OFC had to be about a mortgage payment

If you have never had one, yea you should give a good one a go.

On another note, we ended up back at Raffinos last night again and I sent one of my old wick instruction cards with our drink girl to the bar and my old fashioned came out much better

Wick, what’s your old fashioned pointers? I’ve been doing my own style at the house for a while but I’m kind of burned out them

I had these made up for places that don't know how to make a decent one. I prefer a big cube of ice, but if a bar doesn't know how to make an old fashioned they defiantly aren't going to have big ice.

that’s hilarious

Wick FTW!

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Got me one of these fancy Glenkaren glasses you kids rave about. I'm sold.

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Same! Mine arrived Thursday, and I had a nice weekend with them. The main benefit is indeed the nose. While I don't necessarily taste a massive difference, I do notice that I get the aromas cleanly and that the flavors of the bourbon were more pronounced. It's a different and much improved experience over my rocks glasses.

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old fashioned pointers

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I love OF's, and this is my method. It's simple yet effective:


2oz bourbon or rye (really whichever you are in the mood for: rye spicier, bourbon sweeter)
1 demarara sugar cube
7 dashes angostura (most use 3, so start with that. I like bitters so increase for my taste)
7 drops orange bitters (same)
very small splash of water
Orange peel expressed or torched
Large ice cube or sphere


Drop sugar cube into glass. Add bitters and water. Muddle and stir until sugar dissolved. Add bourbon, then express the orange peel over the mixture, rub around rim of glass and drop into the drink. Add ice cube.


A few key points:

- the key to expressing is hold the flesh/orange side of the peel over the mixture and squeeze out towards the liquid. This may be obvious, but it was not to me for a long time. I squeezed wrong for ages and always wondered why no oils ever got into my drink. Ugh... lol. It may seem innocuous, but I promise it makes a tremendous difference in the flavor.

- try torching the orange peel when expressing it. It adds a nice smokey flavor similar to toasted marshmallows to the drink. When you express the peel, simply hold a lighter flame over the glass so the oils pass through it into the drink. It's the maillard effect basically

- use bitters according to your liking. I love bitters, so I am heavy handed. Start with 3 dashes and add to that if you prefer more

- I use thesedemarara cubes. They are not all the same size and shape, which I prefer so I can control the sweetness a bit more. Demarara is superior to white sugar in flavor


- My personal favorite bourbons for OFs are Knob Creek, Elijah Craig, Buffalo Trace and Pinhook Rye. I like the spice these offer which pairs well with the sweetness and bitters.



Anyway, I'm sure I will get downvoted with this, since everyone has their own opinions of how to make drinks. I have tried many different ways though, and this has been my favorite.

Would I be crazy to buy a 15 yr Barrel Bourbon for $250? Haven’t looked online but just found one in a store.