Making Don Draper's "Old Fashioned"

I say, if you can't have a man like Don Draper, at least you can drink like he does.

I am obsessed with Mad Men: red lipstick, curled hair, a-line dresses... I’ve even considered taking up smoking cigarettes and finding an advertising job on Madison Avenue just because they make it seem so glamorous and thrilling.

So my first attempt at becoming an authentic Mad Men alumni is drinking like the characters. Gimlets are simple, straight whiskey is dangerous for me, so I decided to try to learn how to make the Don Draper special: The Old Fashioned. If you like whiskey based drinks, this is the one for you. I happen to love whiskey, brandy, and scotch (those are my favorite hard alcohols). The Old Fashioned is “the world’s first cocktail” - and honestly is a sweet treat that doesn’t hide the flavor of the alcohol.

How to Make and Old Fashioned Cocktail

{Don Draper's Old Fashioned}

What you need:

• 2 oz whiskey (rye, bourbon, or any Irish whiskey)
• 1 oz club soda (I use St. Pellegrino sparkling water because it’s what I have)
• 2 sugar cubes (you can use one if you aren’t a fan of sugary drinks)
• Bitters
• Lemon rind (orange rind if you are using bourbon)
• Handful of ice cubes

How to concoct the cocktail:

Throw your sugar cubes into the bottom of your glass. Take your bottle of bitters and throw 2-5 dashes over your sugar cubes.

Bitters are very aromatic and warming - they are definitely an acquired taste. If you like cloves and warming flavors, then you’ll enjoy bitters. Don’t worry - you can’t really discern it in the drink if you don’t like bitters.

Pour your club soda over the sugar cubes and crush it all together. This process is called muddling it. I take either the back of a wooden spoon or the back of a knife and crush the cubes. Make sure it’s fully dissolved.

Pour your whiskey over the top. I prefer Jameson whiskey just because it’s not too expensive and it tastes very good. Take a handful of ice cubes and put them in your glass. If you want your drink to not get too watered down, put more ice in. It keeps the drink colder.

Take your lemon rind, give it a twist to release the oils, and throw it in. It is meant to just take a bit of the bite off of your cocktail.

The drink is sweet, with an after taste of whiskey. As a whiskey girl myself, this is a drink of choice (and it doesn't help that my main primetime man drinks these religoiusly). Is it bad that I secretly hope I'll run into Mr. Draper in a bar, and we'll hit it off over our love for old fashioneds?

Please do enjoy like Don Draper - quickly, sexily, without shame, and masculinely (but girls, don't worry, it’s not just for the boys anymore).

(Originally posted on social media[holic].)