I have not yet acquired a taste for whiskey. But I’m trying. Every time I take a little sip, I get that puckered-lip-squinty-eyes-raised-eyebrow kind of look on my face. Trust me, it ain’t a pretty. So why am I trying to learn to like it, you might ask. Well, whiskey and camping go together like… cookies and milk. Peanut butter and jelly. Bonnie and Clyde? So my stepping stone to whiskey neat is this Bourbon Old Fashioned. And it’s actually good! (Bourbon is basically whiskey that’s made in Kentucky. It’s super smooth!)
In keeping with my theme – Keep it Simple. Keep it Tasty. Keep it Easy to Clean – I’ve modified the classic Old Fashioned a bit so it’s more suitable for camping. (Let’s face it, no one really wants to bring bitters along with them on a camping trip.) So I’m sticking with the fewest and simplest ingredients possible that still honor that rich, slightly sweet, slightly citrusy warms you from the inside out Classic Bourbon Old Fashioned taste.
I’m well aware that most of us don’t normally stock up on maraschino cherries, but it really does make a difference here so just throw a few in a zip-top baggie and find a little room in your cooler. It’s well worth it! I do typically bring oranges and sugar when we go camping, so nothing new there. And it really is best with a splash of club soda (which you can buy for about a buck), but if you don’t want to bring that along, a splash of water will do in a pinch.
Here’s How to Make a Simple Classic Bourbon Old Fashioned
Smush together (yeah, the real term is called muddling) a maraschino cherry, a thin slice of orange, and a half-teaspoon of sugar in the bottom of a cup or glass. (You can use the back of a spoon for this). Add a few ice cubes (or one of my awesome mini “ice blocks” that you can read about here), pour 1 1/2 ounces bourbon and a splash of club soda over the ice and stir. Top with another maraschino cherry and a slice of orange. That’s it! Sip away and enjoy!
I may actually become a whiskey drinker after all thanks to this Bourbon Old Fashioned! (Is that a good thing…?)
- 4 Slices Orange
- 4 Maraschino Cherries
- 1 Teaspoon Sugar
- 3 Ounces Bourbon Or Whiskey of your choice
- Splash Club Soda
- Place one orange slice, one cherry, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar into the bottom of each glass. Smash together with the back of spoon until sugar is dissolved. Add ice to glass. Pour whiskey over ice, then add splash of club soda. Stir the garnish with remaining orange slice and cherry.
Michael says
Might be helpful to know the difference between bourbon and whiskey, because bourbon isn’t just whiskey made in Kentucky. While it riginated in Bourbon County, KY, it can be made anywhere in the US. My favorite bourbon comes from a farm distillery in IL where they grow the corn they use in their mash. The following are requirements for bourbon:
1) made from at least 51% corn
2) distilled at no more than 80% abv (160 proof)
3) aged in new (never used) charred, American oak barrels
4) produced in the United States
Heather says
Great info! Thanks!
Ben Myhre says
> I may actually become a whiskey drinker after all thanks to this Bourbon Old Fashioned! (Is that a good thing
I say drink what tastes good. You might be surprised, however, and find yourself sipping on a bourbon straight soon enough.
Heather says
Agreed! 🙂