Old Fashioned Appetizer
A sweet and fruity cocktail ∙ Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 22.1% ABV ∙
The Old Fashioned Appetizer is a stirred Old Fashioned variation that splits bourbon with Dubonnet, adding curaçao, orange and pineapple juice, and absinthe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 30 mlDubonnet/French rouge aromatized wine 30 mlOrange curaçao liqueur 5 mlOrange juice 5 mlPineapple juice 5 mlAbsinthe 2 dashesCreole-style bitters 1 dash
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry on a skewer and a pineapple wedge on the rim
Tips
- Keep the absinthe to two dashes; it should scent the drink, not fight the Dubonnet.
History
The Old Fashioned Appetizer traces to 1917, when New York bartender Hugo Ensslin included it in the second edition of his book Recipes for Mixed Drinks. Ensslin's version split the whiskey base with Dubonnet, used a little Curaçao as the sweetener and seasoned it with two dashes of absinthe and a dash of Peychaud's bitters. It was a lighter, more aromatic departure from the plain whiskey, sugar, and bitters formula of the era. Ensslin dressed the drink with an orange slice, a pineapple slice, and a lemon twist, and its name likely owes something to that elaborate fruit garnish, a contrast with the pared-back classic Old Fashioned. Modern versions turn the orange and pineapple into small splashes of juice and garnish the drink with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.
FAQ
How strong is an Old Fashioned Appetizer?
Moderately strong, at about 22.1% ABV. That is lighter than a standard Old Fashioned, because half the base is Dubonnet rather than bourbon and small splashes of juice soften it further.
