The Old Fashioned, a classic, one of the simplest and earlier forms of a 'cocktail', as it was the first recorded rendition of one. Some stay true to its pure form, while others have re-examined its original format and taken it to other flavorful lengths, recreating this beloved beverage.
There is but a myth surrounding the introduction of the Old Fashioned, it is said that it was brought to the old Waldorf in the days of its sit-down Bar, and introduced by Col. James E. Pepper, of Kentucky. The Old-fashioned Whiskey cocktail was said to have been the invention of a bartender at the famous Pendennis Club in Louisville, of which Col. Pepper was a member.
This is flatly contradicted by the historical record where multiple recipes by the name Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail were published over 30 years before Crockett's claim, and the cocktail itself had existed for decades earlier. Cocktail historians like Robert Simonson and David Wondrich reject this claim and declare this origin story as a "myth", writing:
Since the Chicago Daily Tribune was already discussing old fashioned cocktails in February of 1880 and the Pendennis Club was not founded until 1881, I think it is safe to pronounce this myth busted.
Bourbon or rye whiskey, bitters, sugar, orange, and the optional Luxardo cherry.
Dissolve the sugar. Stir water, demerara sugar, and Angostura bitters together in a mixing glass or cocktail shaker until the sugar is nearly dissolved. Mix the cocktail. Fill the mixing glass or cocktail shaker with ice, add 2 ounces bourbon, and stir until well-chilled. Pour the cocktail through a strainer into the glass. Twist the orange peel directly over the cocktails surface, then garnish with the peel. Garnish with 1 to 2 Luxardo cherries if using.