Let's get Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned.

When this is made properly--and it rarely is--there may not be a better example of what a great cocktail can be.

The one pictured above was something of an eye opener. It's from a speakeasy bar called Single Barrel, in downtown San Jose. The bartender, Cash, was quick to engage me in conversation once he found out that I was ordering the Old Fashioned.

"When was the last time you had an Old Fashioned?"

"Last night!" I said.

"You didn't put any muddled fruit in your drink did you?"

"NO!"

"That a boy!" And he continued making my drink. We went on a little further, and like me he uses simple syrup instead of a sugar cube, but sort of quizzically he squirts a dash of soda water in it. Not much just a dash. His opinion is that there should be some in it, but I think he feels like its necessary to do so, because he does not stir the drink with traditional ice. Instead, he drops a big ball of ice in the middle of the drink. Anyway, it seems like the soda water just gets the bitters and simple syrup mixing, and doesn't dilute the whiskey as much as regular ice would. (There is something to be said about the whiskey he used though--goddamn)! But the big debate of the night, was whether to use a lemon peel or an orange peel to garnish the drink with. Cash felt that a lemon peel really brought out a bigger taste in the drink, especially with the aroma. He also rightly pointed out that a lemon peel was the OG garnish back when the drink was first invented. I think the bigger aroma came from his brimming of the glass with the peel; and that the same could be achieved with an orange. But I think I'm going to need to test that theory for myself.

Anyway, there's no better spot in SJ for quality cocktails. Here's to Cash, Single Barrel, and the Old Fashioned.

Cheers!!!