On the weekend I DJ at a lounge in Victoria called the Veneto Tapas Lounge.
They make up their cocktails using premium liquor and ingredients. Something I never really cared or thought too much about before unless I was drinking with Dave Sawchuk or my buddy Bob.
I’ve been playing Motown and chillwave records there since December/January of last year and I’ve slowly been learning about the bartender craft.
Right now Solomon Siegel and and Simon Odgen quarterback the drink menu in the lounge and Simon shared with me the art of the Old Fashioned.
The Old Fashioned is often considered to be the first “cocktail” and was invented in Kentucky in the mid-to-late 1800s. It was the drink of civil war veterans! Basically the cocktail is spirits, bitters, sweetener, water. Yum.
At the Veneto I learned to add some orange and lemon zest to the equation and delicious.
On the weekend I tried to track down some Bulleit Bourbon which is Simon’s pick for the Old Fashioned.
Sadly, the backwoods of Coquitlam could not provide and seeing as my old man was out of real Kentucky Bourbon I grabbed a bottle of Maker’s Mark (another good Kentucky Bourbon that is popular at Veneto: I paid $42 for a bottle).
The bitters for a Veneto Old Fashioned is easy as they use the mainstream Angostura Bitters. You’ll remember I found this bitters at Save-On Foods.
Start your glass with a sugar cube and a few dashes of bitters with an easy splash of bourbon. Let that sit there while you slice off two pieces of orange peel and one of lemon.
Get the knife in there and shave or cut away all the pith as its not delicious.
What you do next is what separates all the Old Fashioned makers as they have their way of adding the orange and lemon which I can’t really explain. You’ll have to watch Simon or Josh or Katie do it sometime. I tried to copy them as best I could at a dinner party and my Old Fashioned served… but they were no Veneto.
Muddle the the first orange peel in the glass with the sugar and bitters.
In a tumbler, pour two ounces of bourbon and stir with ice then strain into your Old Fashioned glass with your sugar/bitters/orange. Add two ice cubes (or however many you want).
Then you release some of the lemon zest in the drink and drop the lemon peel in. Finally you take your last orange peel, heat it with a lighter over the glass for a few moments and squeeze it into the glass. A cool little fireball should happen. Don’t be scared, be brave! That is the fun part. Then twist the orange peel and drop it in.
Your drink should smell yummy, like a fruit punch.
Then sip and get ready to get rose cheeked! This beverage packs a smooth but deliberate punch.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 
Great article, and great cocktail. This is the best cocktail to order when you’re in a new bar, to use a litmus test for the quality of the bar.
It’s hard to beat a Bulleit Bourbon based old fashioned if you’re in BC, and don’t hesitate to try some American bourbon if you can get your hands on it (High West for example, is amazing in an old fashioned).
mmm, Kris, that might be fun to try. High West? nice.
Yum, i’m a big fan of “classic” cocktails, i especially like champagne based ones and the French 75 i had at Veneto was very yummy.
Yup… both good! You going to make some time to come for a cocktail again?
i hope so!
fun!
I would like to make this. I am just not sure about using my Van Winkle. Maybe I should get a small bottle of Jack next time I hit the liquor store?
Bailey… this drink lends itself to your favourite bourbon or whiskey… I’d save your Jack for mixing with coke.
hmmm, unless Jack is your fave bourbon… then have at ‘er!
haha, Pappy Van Winkle is my bourbon of choice. I feel bad adding anything to it. I take it neat. Not even on the rocks.
I could see where an old fashioned would be great with woodford reserve-type bourbon, though.
do what feels right. the Old Fashioned will hopefully enhance your bestie bourbon 🙂
Sounds expensive but delicious 🙂
Makers Mark is $42 in Coquitlam… so not a the cheap-o brand, but not too expensive. The rest of the ingredients are all very affordable.
if you think you’d like a strong cocktail, then you’ll appreciate the work and craftsmanship in a good cocktail.
At the Veneto, this cocktail runs $8.50. Not bad for a good double.
Jeremy, we’re not paying you enough.
ha, I am glad you said it!
[…] last time I visited my parents we settled on an evening of Old Fashions and this past weekend almost became more of the same, but as I was heading out the door of the […]