Put A Sparkling Twist On Your Next Old Fashioned Cocktail

It's hard to imagine a cocktail more classic than the old fashioned. A combination of whiskey, sugar, water, and bitters garnished with an orange twist, the old fashioned has been an American go-to since the 1800s. Just because it's iconic doesn't mean it's not ripe for reinvention though. Different tweaks in the hands of professional and at-home mixologists are how this cocktail has continued to capture imbibers' interest all these years. From swapping whiskey for mezcal to incorporating maraschino liqueur, there are plenty of old fashioned variations to have fun trying. One that's caught our eye recently as a warm-weather refresher is the whiskey daisy.

The daisy is actually a whole cocktail category, similar to the sour, which is any liquor with citrus and a sweetener like simple syrup. With a daisy, the sour's simple syrup gets replaced by a liqueur and, often, some bubbles are added via soda water. There's already a crossover between the daisy and old fashioned: spirit, sweet element, citrus element. But the old fashioned has a darker, warmer flavor profile. The sugar, water, and bitters serve to highlight the possible vanilla, caramel, tobacco, and oak notes of the whiskey, adding a balanced touch of sweetness and bitterness with some spice. Turning the old fashioned into a whiskey daisy immediately brightens this combo. Using an orange liqueur instead of sugar, for example, provides a fresh burst of citrus tartness and sweetness. Then, the sparkle of soda water lightens the entire drink with a crisp zing.

Essentially, a whiskey daisy takes everything you love about an old fashioned and makes it uniquely refreshing. To make your whiskey daisy, gather the following ingredients: two ounces of whiskey, ¾ ounces of fresh lemon juice, ½ ounce of orange liqueur, ¼ ounce of simple syrup, club soda, and both an orange slice and maraschino cherry for garnishing. The only element you'll need to make ahead of mixing the drink is simple syrup, which is a 1:1 combination of sugar and water that is heated until the sugar dissolves. You can also make simple syrup without heat by bottling it and letting it sit for an hour, shaking it every few minutes.

Once you've got all of these elements together, add the whiskey, lemon juice, liqueur, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it up and then strain the drink — you can pour it over fresh ice in a rocks glass or get fancy and use a coupe. Of course, the glassware you choose depends on how much room you want left, which you'll fill with club soda. Be careful not to overdo it, as you could dilute the drink's flavors and end up with an entirely different tipple; the Collins is another cocktail category — essentially a sour with a higher proportion of carbonated water. When you're done, simply pop on your orange and cherry and voila: Your old fashioned is as fresh as a whiskey daisy.