Bourbon as a base spirit.

[ILLfarmboy]

...However, my Bourbon cocktail of choice is the Old Fashioned. All of the additional ingredients are there to compliment and season the Bourbon, never marring its original flavor. With these, I really love Booker's, but will take any of the higher proof premiums as well.

Beyond that, I generally prefer to take my Bourbon neat or with a splash.

I still drink Manhattans on occasion but I find myself drinking Old Fashioneds more and more. Your point about "never marring its original flavor" is spot on.

I prefer rye Old Fashioneds but have experimented with bourbons too. I find Weller Antique makes a fine Old Fashioned. I use a drop of Angostora bitters and several drops of Fee Brothers. Fee brothers has a more Christmas spice character.

My typical recipe is as follows:

• 2 1/2 ounces whiskey
• one tea spoon sugar
• one tea spoon water
• four/five drops bitters; one of Angostora and three or four Fee brothers
• one slightly molested orange slice
• one maraschino cherry

First I add the sugar, bitters and water, give that a stir to dissolve the sugar. Then I add the orange slice and slightly molest it in the sugar/bitters mixture, not too much though, full on muddling will release too much juice. Then I add some ice and the cherry and give it a stir.

What's your recipe/procedure?