The traditional cocktail is a simple one, made with bourbon or rye whiskey, a bit of sugar, a splash of water, a few dashes of Angostura bitters, garnished with an orange twist and/or Luxardo cherry. However, more mixologists are getting creative and making twists on the classic.
Campus Lounge, at 701 South University Boulevard, offers an Old-Fashioned flight, where you can sample four specialty versions, including Bourbon & Berries, made with Stranahan’s Blue Peak, house-made blueberry syrup and bitters; and the Banana Fosters, with banana-infused Tin Cup whiskey and house caramel cinnamon simple syrup.
Campus Lounge offers an Old Fashioned flight.
Campus Lounge / Instagram
“When you think whiskey, you think Old Fashioned,” Nester says. When he was first getting into whiskey himself, the Old Fashioned was a great stepping stone, because you can taste and appreciate the whiskey without being overwhelmed. Now he calls on his mixology passion and experience when helping patrons create their own unique take on the cocktail.
For bitters, he’s used chocolate, walnut, peach, spruce, lime, rhubarb, strawberry, cherry and holiday spice (clove, allspice, cinnamon). Sweetener options range from maple syrup, agave and simple syrup to honey syrup and the condensed sweet syrup from cocktail cherries. During the holidays, he plans to use pear syrup, apple cider and pumpkin purée. One memorable spin on the drink combined a hot pepper-infused whiskey, agave syrup, chocolate bitters and rich cocktail cherries.
When it comes to choosing a bourbon for an Old Fashioned, Nester says to think about the end goal of your drink and what you want to highlight in the whiskey. “I usually look for something that has nice fruit notes, is fairly easy to drink, with strong hints of that dark caramel and vanilla," he says. "Something that is bold enough to stand on its own two feet, but not hurt by the addition of other things.”
If you’re looking for a local bourbon or whiskey to add to your Old Fashioned at home, here are some stellar options:
Four-Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Denver Distillery
Denver Distillery’s Four-Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey is 92 proof and aged in charred new American white oak barrels for a minimum of three and a half years. “What makes this bourbon perfect for an Old Fashioned comes from our use of a Belgian Saison yeast strain to ferment our bourbon,” explains Denver Distillery manager Chris Anderson-Tavor. “The yeast gives our bourbon a beautiful apricot/stone fruit aroma on the nose, which pairs well with the use of bitters in an Old Fashioned.”
ZinFin Bourbon, Deviation Distilling
Deviation Distilling is Denver’s first gin taproom, located in the Dairy Block. For a recent bourbon release, it teamed up with neighboring winery Blanchard Family Wine to age the spirit in barrels that previously contained wine. The bourbon is finished in Zinfandel wine barrels and is 92 proof. At Deviation's cocktail lounge, you’ll find the ZinFin Bourbon in a handful of Old Fashioneds, including the Red Eye Old Fashioned, made with mocha whiskey, Aztec whiskey, demerara sugar, Thai chile, orange peel and flamed cinnamon.
Colorado Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse
Irontown Distillery’s Straight Bourbon has won awards with the Denver International Spirits Institute and the American Distilling Institute. It’s been aged in charred New American oak barrels for a minimum of two years and comes in at 86 proof. The blue heirloom corn used in it is grown at the Whiskey Sisters’ farm in eastern Colorado. “The Old Fashioned is a simple cocktail that lets the sweet notes from the heirloom blue corn of our Colorado Straight Bourbon shine through,” says Ironton marketing director Kelsey Bigelow.
The Night Sweats Straight Bourbon, The Block Distilling Co.
The Block Distilling Co. is dedicated to making everything in-house from start to finish. The Night Sweats Straight Bourbon is a collaboration with Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats and is aged for 36 months in seasoned casks. Instead of traditional wheat or rye, this 100-proof bourbon was made with yellow corn, red and blue corn, millet and malted barley.
Branch & Barrel Bourbon, Branch & Barrel Distilling
The bourbon at Branch & Bourbon is described as traditional and savory, with notes of caramel, vanilla and oak. When it comes to making an Old Fashioned, there’s also the option to utilize one of the distillery’s variations, including a bourbon with honey, coffee or maple, vanilla and cinnamon.
Stranahan's Original, Stranahan’s
Stranahan’s Original is aged for four years in new American oak barrels. On the nose, there’s leather, maple syrup, vanilla, caramel and butterscotch, while notes on the palate include vanilla, chocolate, brown sugar, cayenne and aged leather. “I love adding an herbal element to my Old Fashioned by adding a sprig of rosemary as a garnish,” says head mixologist Demi Deherrera. Her recipe for an Old Fashioned includes 1.5 ounces of Stranahan’s Original, .25 ounce demerara syrup and two dashes of Angostura bitters.
Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Bear Creek Distillery
Bear Creek Distillery produces a variety of bourbon, whiskey, vodka and rum. This Straight Bourbon Whiskey won awards at the American Distilling Institute Spirits competition, the San Francisco World Spirits competition, and the American Craft Spirits Association competition. It was matured in 53-gallon American white oak barrels for at least two years. It’s described as having a creamy mouthfeel, with flavors of cereal grains, spice, clove, and fruit all ending in a smooth bourbon finish.
Four Grain Straight Bourbon, Laws Whiskey House
For its Four Grain Bourbon, Laws begins by utilizing heritage corn and heirloom varieties of wheat, barley and rye from two Colorado family farms. It’s aged for three years in 53-gallon charred oak barrels. Flavor notes include pekoe tea, cinnamon, orange peel, vanilla custard and hints of sweet tobacco and spice.
Tincup Original, Tincup
This whiskey is named for the Colorado mining pioneers and the tin cups from which they drank their whiskey — one adorns the top of each bottle. It’s a combination of “high rye” bourbon, distilled and aged in Indiana and blended with a small amount of Colorado single malt whiskey, then cut with water from Eldorado Springs.
