Rum Old Fashioned
A Rum Old Fashioned stirs aged rum, gum syrup and two kinds of bitters into a short, aromatic drink finished with an orange twist.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Chill a rocks glass and cut a wide orange peel.
Measure the rum, gum syrup and both bitters into a mixing glass.
Add ice and stir until the mixture is cold.
Strain into the chilled glass and express the orange peel over it before garnishing.
A thoughtful finish
- Taste the rum before mixing; bottles with added sugar may taste sweeter.
- Measure syrup rather than adding it by eye.
- Avoid scraping a thick layer of white pith into the orange peel.
Common mistakes
- Using spiced rum without labeling the change introduces extra flavorings.
- Leaving out orange bitters removes one of the measured aromatic components.
- Adding cherry syrup increases sweetness beyond this recipe.
A few good questions.
Does a Rum Old Fashioned need whiskey?
No. Aged rum replaces the whiskey in this version.
Can I use white rum?
That is an adaptation with a different profile; the cited formula calls for aged rum.
Should I muddle an orange slice?
Not for this build. It uses an expressed orange peel rather than muddled fruit.
Why does mine taste too sweet?
Check whether the rum is sweetened and measure the syrup precisely before altering the recipe.
Variations
- Over fresh ice — serving adaptation — Serve the stirred drink over a fresh cube if preferred; the source specifies a chilled rocks glass.
- Different aged rum — ingredient adaptation — Try another aged rum at the same measure and label the bottle used for repeatability.
Where it comes from
A Rum Old Fashioned stirs aged rum, gum syrup and two kinds of bitters into a short, aromatic drink finished with an orange twist.
Sources
- Liber & Co. — Rum Old Fashioned (company source) link
Strength. About 1.52 US standard drinks at an estimated 32.1% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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