How to make the perfect Old Fashioned

By Scott Strasser, May. 22, 2014 —

The final season of Mad Men will be split into two parts, with the first half of finale airing on May 27. This means that fans will have to wait until next summer to finish Don Draper’s story. To get your Mad Men fix over the summer, here’s a how-to guide on making the ad exec’s favourite cocktail: the Old Fashioned.

What you need:
Highball or rocks glass
Your favourite whiskey
(rye or bourbon)
Angostura bitters
1 sugar cube
1 orange
1 maraschino cherry
1 oz. shot glass
Ice
Spoon
A muddler

1. Place the sugar cube on the bottom of the rocks glass. Douse the cube with four or five splashes of Angostura bitters and a few drops of orange juice.

2. Peel a small piece of skin off the orange and place it in the bottom of the glass, next to the sugar cube.

3. Muddle the drenched sugar cube and orange skin until a thick paste develops.

4. Add a few ice cubes then pour 1 oz. of your favourite whiskey overtop.

5. Stir for 10 seconds, allowing the ice cubes to chill the whiskey.

6. Add a few more ice cubes, then pour a second oz. of whiskey. Stir for another 10 seconds.

7. Add a few more ice cubes and stir a final time. By now, the drink should be nice and cold.

8. Garnish with an orange wheel and a maraschino cherry.

9. Put on your fedora, pull out your pack of Lucky Strikes and enjoy being the coolest person.