We made 5 different Old Fashions with 5 different liquors. Old Grandad 114: MSRP $21, Maker’s Mark: MSRP $20, Texas Crown: MSRP $23, 1792: MSRP $24. We end up with a bonus liquor of Woodford Reserve Bourbon: MSRP: $27

Darrell used the New York Bartender’s Guide. Four ingredients, Whiskey, Sugar, Agastrona Bitters, and Lemon twist.

A quick history of the Old Fashioned. There are other recipes, we used the original. Jerry Thomas, considered the father of mixology, is probably the first person to add this drink to his book. The Jerry Thomas Guide 1862. He describes it as a whiskey cocktail and a way to sweeten your whiskey and spice your whiskey by adding sugar and bitters. Combined with ice and strained over a fancy wine glass. Garnished with a lemon twist. It seems the first time this drink was made in the way it is called an Old Fashioned was in 1881 at the Pendennis Club in Lewisville, Kentucky by a bartender that worked there. In honor of James E. Pepper, a Bourbon Distiller who brought it to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel bar in New York City.

Order of sampling:

Texas Crown: It kind of disappeared in the ingredients. Could be due to the 80 Proof. It is kind of like a Long Island Iced Tea in that the liquor sneaks up on you. It is a bit like drinking candy and it is easy to forget that it is there. Very good.

1792: Seems a bit more bitter than the mix with the Texas Crown. Getting some citrus flavors. The liquor does let you know it is there. There was also a taste of honey with it. The 1792 is not bad in the Old Fashioned.

Maker’s Mark: The Maker’s Mark comes through strong. It changes the flavor of the Old Fashioned. Not quite what you would expect and different from the other mixes. The lemon taste goes away. There is a lingering after taste that is kind of clinical.

Old Grandad 114: Great flavor. This mix brings out an orange taste that comes We still think this makes the best Old Fashioned of them all. With the mix, this brings out an orange flavor that is smooth going down. By far the best.

Woodford Reserve: This was a bonus Bourbon. We both got more cherry than the 1792 and comes across as a sweeter mix.

Our Ranking:
Both Darrell and I rank the in best to worst order. For the first three we agree. 1st being the Old Grandad 114. Second comes the Texas Crown. Third was the Woodford Reserve. Darrell and I disagree on the fourth and five places. I say Maker’s Mark in fourth and 1792. Darrell says 1792 in fourth and Maker’s Mark in fifth.