be merry: blood orange old fashioned

A few weeks ago, I made vodka brambles for Valentine’s Day. I had so much fun crafting that post that I knew I had to do it again. This time I knew I wanted to spin on one of my all-time favorite cocktails - the old fashioned. You see, I’m a bourbon girl, at heart.

Invented (as we know it today) in Louisville, KY at the Pendennis Club in the 1880’s, the old fashioned has a rich history. The classic recipe includes sugar cubes, bitters, and bourbon. Having stood the test of time, the old fashioned is everything a cocktail should be - simple, elegant, and beautiful. I always feel like a classy, metropolitan lady while sipping this classic cocktail.

But, I wanted to jazz things up a bit. So, I went to the store in search of something jazzy and I came home with blood oranges, a beautiful, local bourbon, and a brilliant idea. A blood orange old fashioned.

Bucking tradition, I’m losing the sugar cube and adding a blood orange simple syrup instead. Add some aromatic bitters and this Stroudwater Distillery Bourbon and you’re in business!

Blood Orange Simple Syrup:

1/4 cup freshly squeezed and strained blood orange juice
1/4 cup of coconut sugar*
1 tsp agave nectar

Combine the ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and reduce for 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Allow syrup to cool completely prior to use.

recipe adapted from The Flavor Blender
* You can use any type of sugar but I think the coconut sugar added a nice complexity to the simple syrup. If you use cane sugar, you can leave out the agave as traditional sugar is much sweeter than coconut sugar.

Once your simple syrup is ready, it’s time to party. Or make a cocktail in your PJs while watching Gilmore Girls. Whatever makes your skirt fly up. Guess which one I’m doing.

Blood Orange Old Fashioned:

0.5 oz blood orange simple syrup
2 dashes aromatic bitters
2 oz Stroudwater Bourbon
ice
blood orange slices for garnish

Add everything but the garnish into a old fashioned glass (I used a small water glass because I’m pretty classy like that). Stir vigorously with a spoon. Add your garnish. And enjoy.