For such a simple drink (usually just three core ingredients), there is plenty of experimentation, adaptation and fun that can be had with an old fashioned. It was in celebration of this versatility that everyone’s favorite bourbon brand first launched the now-annual Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Month.
And it’s everyone’s favorite for a reason. The sultry, amber-hued bourbon is rich and silky, with all of that toffee sweetness the spirit is so famous for but also a more unusual level of complexity, with gentle notes of cinnamon and spice. In short, it’s delicious — and perfect in an old fashioned (as it would have to be for the brand to build a whole month-long celebration around it).
As part of this year’s Old Fashioned Month, Woodford Reserve has, for the first time, partnered with a series of London bars to develop a cocktail bar crawl, with mixologists at each location invited to create their own signature libation.
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Visiting all five in one night might be ambitious (five old fashioneds in a row is probably not a wise idea) but the first 50 individuals who visit them all across the course of the month, and check each off on their dedicated bourbon passport, will receive a bottle of Woodford.
Spread across the vicinity of central London, the participating bars are The Gong Bar at the Shangri-La, Brunswick House, Swift Bars, Nightjar Bars and, last but not least, The Corinthia. For those who can’t make it to London for Old Fashioned Month, we are sharing the recipe for the hotel’s Plum Old Fashioned, which uses the stone fruit’s tangy flavors to add a unique twist to the classic serve.
[See also: Cocktail Recipes to Try Ahead of Negroni Week 2023]
Ingredients:
– 30ml Woodford Rye
– 30ml Woodford Bourbon
– 20ml Plum Shrub (Homemade – Sugar, plums and vinegar)
– 5ml Ginger Cordial
– 3 Dashes of plum seasoning
– 2 Dashes of Angostura bitters
– 1 plum slice
Method:
Add all ingredients except plum slice to a cocktail tin or glass with a large amount of ice and stir down with a bar spoon for 30 seconds. Strain the mixed cocktail over a large cube of fresh ice into a short glass. Garnish with a slice of plum.
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