The history of the Old Fashioned is a bit of a muddled one, but, at least in America, it dates back to 1880, according to Thrillist. Many give credit to the Pendennis Club in Louisville, where member James E. Pepper had the drink made in his honor, and Pepper then brought attention to the cocktail on his visits to the Waldorf Astoria in New York City, per James E. Pepper. Traditionally, an old fashioned cocktail includes sugar, water, Angostura bitters, and bourbon or rye whiskey.
For a fun fall variation of the classic cocktail, enjoy a Sparkle Maple Old Fashioned. WhistlePig, a Vermont whiskey distillery, paired with Runamok Maple to create a Barrel-Aged Sparkle Maple Syrup, and the syrup will make your fall old fashioned literally sparkle thanks to the pearlescent mica in the syrup. Here’s their recipe:
Combine 1½ fluid ounces of rye whiskey — they recommend their WhistlePig PiggyBack 100% Rye — with ¼ fluid ounces of sparkle maple syrup and three dashes of bitters. Mix thoroughly, add ice, and garnish with a fresh orange peel.