A New-Fashioned Cocktail

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I’m a pretty simple guy when it comes to enjoying what I enjoy. While my wife is adept at identifying and telling me all about different ‘notes’ or ‘hints of’ flavors in food or drinks, I can only identify one thing: whether or not I like something. I visited Kentucky for the first time while attending a work conference in 2011.  The conference was in Louisville, and I was determined to try to educate myself about bourbon with the help of locals who knew it best.  I knew I liked whiskey, but I had never taken the time to truly appreciate which types I liked and why. I found a bourbon bar in my hotel, and the bartender was super knowledgeable.  He walked me through a few different types and allowed me to sample them.  My appreciation for bourbon – and all types of whiskey – grew immensely.  But while I learned some more brands I enjoyed, I was still not confident enough to know whether I’d like a particular type of whiskey without first trying it, nor could I explain exactly what I liked about it.

If you’re like me, you’d probably like to take the guesswork out of your whiskey purchases.  There’s nothing worse than wanting to explore new varieties only to discover that you don’t like the bottle you just purchased.  Thankfully, Whiskey5.com simplifies the process for guys like us. I’ll walk you through the process below, but first, a tasty cocktail recipe.

Carrie and I have been inspired by Prohibition-era styles and cocktails lately.  One of my favorite Prohibition-era cocktails is the Old-Fashioned.  I first tried one on a return-trip to Lousville in 2013, and I’ve been hooked ever since.  What I haven’t seen is a lot of variety, however.  So I’ve put together a twist on one of my favorite drinks with Johnnie Walker Double Black and updated the name.  It’s not an Old-Fashioned: it’s a New-Fashioned!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Johnnie Walker Double Black
• 1 sugar cube
• 1 dash citrus bitters
• 1 wedge grapefruit, squeezed
• 1 large ice cube
• 1 cherry for garnish

Directions:

Begin by gathering all of your ingredients and a few simple bar tools, like a shaker, knife, strainer, muddler, and stirrer. Start by muddling your grapefruit with the bitters and sugar cube.  Try not to be too forceful: just enough to extract all the flavors and bring them together.

Once you’ve finished your muddling – making sure the sugar is well-dissolved – strain the mixture to remove any possible seeds or large pieces of pulp. Add 1.5 ounces of the Johnnie Walker Double Black, and stir to to combine.   I always keep a few large ice cubes in my freezer, which are perfect for chilling cocktails while not watering them down.

This is a cocktail that is stirred, not shaken, to gently combine the flavors. I like to stir it after adding the ice cube so it chills in the process. After stirring, top your New-Fashioned cocktail with a fresh cherry {not one from a jar}.

Your drink is now ready to serve. It is the perfect balance of the smoky Johnny Walker Double Black, sour grapefruit, sweet sugar, and citrus bitters. I enjoy a cocktail like this with a hearty meal, like a well-seasoned steak and roasted potatoes, but it can also be served as an after-dinner beverage to sip over great conversation.

Remember that quiz I mentioned to help you find the perfect whiskey for your palate? Here’s the information! The Whiskey 5 delineates five categories of flavor options found in whiskey: Smooth, Spicy, Bold, Sweet, and Smoky.

First, you’ll select the two categories that most appeal to you.  I selected Smoky and Smooth. Next, you’ll use the toggle bars to determine how important each category is to you.  I know I really love any and all smoky flavors, so I set Smoky pretty high and moved Smooth to the lower side. Once you’re ready, just click on “Get Results”.  It’s that easy!

I was excited to see just how accurate the outcome was, so I went to my local retailer and immediately purchased my suggested whiskey: Johnnie Walker Double Black.  I learned that this scotch whiskey has a deep flavor, and I was surprised to discover that fruit zests were a part of the flavor profile, so I wanted to use my new-found knowledge to make a cocktail I’d love, like the New-Fashioned recipe I created above. Head to your local retailer and find the display below to discover your perfect whiskey.

What’s your favorite whiskey cocktail?