A Ladies Old Fashioned — Lucy's whims

Full disclosure here. I'm currently doing a cleanse so it's probably bad timing in posting this enticing post! I'm basically torturing myself since I have 2 more days till I can enjoy this libation. Yes, I'm one of those gals that does a cleanse every so often and in my mind it justifies my love for decadent food and the occasional cocktails! Balance right?

As previously mentioned, I love a great cocktail! In recent years there has been such a movement of the "Craft Cocktail" and I am totally on board! I love the fresh ingredients, the small batch liquors and the history of these vintage inspired beverages. My current favorite is the Old Fashioned, it dates back to the early 1800's and has been called "your grandmothers drink" or "the manliest of drinks", meaning it's not for the faint of heart. I however appreciate that I can sip this drink throughout the night, the complexity of the Bourbon. That every sip lends itself to full aroma and flavor especially if you spend the extra $ on a great Rye. It will make a world of difference on how smooth and easy to drink it will be, trust me.

The Old Fashioned pretty much defined the early “cock tail” composed of spirits, bitters, sugar, and water. There are so many variations of this cocktail and a good bartender takes this drink very seriously, almost personally. There's no fussing with soda water or syrups, yuck! It's simple and to the point. Sugar, bitters, bourbon, ice and an orange rind! This can be a little tough for most of us so here I introduce my ladies version of The Old Fashioned. I hope you enjoy and give it a try, it won't disappoint.

Ingredients:

2oz. of Rye
1tsp of Maple Syrup
2-3 Dashes of Bitters
1 Cherry (preferably Luxardo)
Orange Rind

Directions:

Combine Rye, 2-3 dashes of Bitters, and 1 Tsp of maple syrup in a cocktail glass. Stir to combine. Add a handful of ice, i prefer the fancy Ice Spheres, presentation ;) get them here. Twist orange rind over cocktail, this will release the oils. Skewer a Luxor Cherry with orange rind and give it a stir to combine those flavors. That's it, cheers!

A few favorite Whiskeys: Hudson Manhattan Rye, Templeton Rye Whiskey, Bulleit Straight Rye

Bitters Suggestion: Regan's Orange Bitters, Angostura Orange Bitters, Fee Brother Orange Bitters

Don't forget the Luxardo Cherries, promise they are worth the price tag!