Jameson Old Fashioned – A Classic Cocktail Recipe

A Jameson Old Fashioned is a classic, simple-to-make cocktail that will warm you from the inside out on the chilliest of days.

 

Let’s Make a New Drink!

Over the years, I have come to enjoy a variety of different beers, wines, vodkas, gins, bourbon and American and Irish whiskeys. They all pair so differently with different types of foods. 

From a whiskey perspective, one of my favorites is Jameson Irish Whisky. It has a nice depth of flavor and a smooth finish I enjoy. It’s also at a great price point and easily accessible at the local grocery or liquor store.

In addition, one of my favorite drinks is the Old Fashioned cocktail. So, I thought it would great to bring these two things together and make a delicious Jameson Old Fashioned.

History of the Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned cocktail has certainly stood the test of time and is as popular as ever. However, cocktail enthusiasts may argue over the origins of this classic whiskey cocktail. 

We do know that in the early 1800’s we start seeing mention of “cocktails”. At that time, a cocktail was any type of spirit mixed with water, sugar and bitters. By adding whiskey, you had one of the very first whiskey cocktails.

This worked fine for some time, until bartenders started making variations of the whiskey cocktail. The whiskey cocktail purists did not like this and started asking for an “old fashioned” whiskey cocktail (like mom used to make!?). The name eventually was shortened to “Old Fashioned” and stuck.

We also know that the Pendennis Club in the Waldorf-Astoria makes a claim on the Old Fashioned in the late 1800’s. While they acknowledge the Old Fashioned did exist prior, they stake a claim on the “modern” Old Fashioned with muddled fruits and simple syrup.

Either way, it’s still a great cocktail to be enjoyed for many occasions!

 

​The Jameson Old Fashioned

A Jameson Old Fashioned has just a few ingredients. Whiskey, of course, bitters, a touch of sweetener, orange peel and ice. Simple, right?  

The key to the perfect Old Fashioned is making sure it’s not too watered down and not too sweet. While the traditional recipe uses sugar or a muddled sugar cube, I like to use agave nectar to sweeten my cocktail.  

Agave nectar has a neutral flavor and I always have it on hand. You want to make sure you use it sparingly, allowing just a touch of sweetness to mellow out the bite of the whiskey a bit.

Bitters are also a key ingredient in this cocktail. We tried both orange bitters and angostura bitters in our Old Fashioned and discovered we prefer a few dashes of angostura bitters.  

The angostura bitters gave the Jameson cocktail a deeper flavor than the orange bitters. But, feel free to use either one, depending on your preference. Either a few dashes of orange bitters or angostura bitters helps make a great cocktail.

Also, many Old Fashioned recipes have you muddle an orange slice with sugar, but I tend to like my Old Fashioned’s more spirit-forward (i.e., not a fruity drink). Therefore, I like just using the orange peel to get the right touch of citrus. Make sure to twist that orange peel to get that citrus bite into your delicious cocktail (plus, an orange twist looks fancy!).

 

The Best Glass for an Old Fashioned

The best glass in which to serve an Old Fashioned is a rocks glass. Also known as an old-fashioned glass or lowball glass, it is typically short and wide with a sturdy base.

The rocks glass is meant to hold spirit-forward drinks. You don’t need a lot of room for lots of ice and mixers. And, the sturdy base also holds up well if you do any muddling for a particular cocktail recipe.

You will also find that a traditional Old-Fashioned glass is heavy, made from cut glass and very decorative. Basically, an Old Fashioned is a fancy whiskey drink so the glass should also be fancy!

What Ice Cubes Should I Use?

You don’t want this Old-Fashioned cocktail to be watered down and you want the flavor of the Jameson to shine through. I shake the drink briefly with ice in a cocktail shaker and then pour it into a rocks glass over a single large cube of ice. 

This ensures that the cocktail is cold and slightly diluted, but it doesn’t taste watered down. If you don’t have a tray for making large ice cubes, I would encourage you to pick one up. The large ice cubes really do make a difference.

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Tips and Tricks

• Don’t over-sweeten the cocktail, you want the flavor of the whiskey to shine through.
• Large ice cubes are highly recommended. Using one large cube keeps the drink from becoming watered down, so the last sip is just as tasty as the first sip.
• We prefer dashes of angostura bitters, but orange bitters also work, if that’s your preference.
• Don’t overshake the cocktail as you don’t want it too watered down. This is supposed to be a spirit-forward cocktail.
• If Jameson is not your whiskey of choice, try a bourbon such as Woodford Reserve or Makers Mark. They are also excellent choices.

Ingredients Needed to Make a Jameson Old Fashioned

Full instructions can be found below in the recipe card

• Jameson Irish whiskey – If you don’t care for Jameson, Woodford Reserve or Maker’s Mark bourbons are a good substitution.
• Agave nectar – Simple syrup, which is equal parts water and sugar, boiled together and then cooled, can be substituted.
• Angostura or orange bitters – Either of these bitters will work in the cocktail, but our preference is angostura.
• Ice – Use small ice cubes in the cocktail mixer. For the Jameson Old Fashioned itself, either small rocks or large rocks will work. But, the large ice cubes keep the drink from getting too watered down, while still keeping it chilled.
• Orange peel – Don’t skip the orange twist as it adds a great citrus aroma to the Old Fashioned cocktail.

Instructions for Making a Jameson Old Fashioned

• Combine whiskey, agave and bitters with ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Shake cocktail for about 5-10 seconds.
• Pour into 2 short rocks glasses filled with ice (preferably 1 large ice cube).
• Twist an orange peel for each rocks glass and put into each drink.

More Whiskey Cocktails to Sip

• Jameson Hot Toddy
• Kentucky Mule
• Pineapple Bourbon Lemonade
• Rosemary Infused Bourbon Martini
• Mint Julep
• Black Gold Whiskey Cocktail

 

ENJOY!