American · Maker's Mark
Maker's Mark Old Fashioned
Maker's Mark uses soft red winter wheat instead of rye as its second grain. Wheat is gentler, so this is the soft, sweet end of bourbon with none of the pepper.
Photo: Dextar Studio ™ / Pexels
Takes 4mMakes 1 drinkGlass Rocks glass, one large cube
Ingredients
- Maker's Mark Bourbon 750ml
- 1 sugar cube, or 1 tsp simple syrup
- 2 to 3 dashes aromatic bitters
- 1 strip orange peel
- 1 large ice cube
Method
- Put the sugar cube in the glass and soak it with the bitters. Add a splash of water and crush it to a paste.
- Add the bourbon and one large ice cube.
- Stir for about thirty seconds. You are chilling it and adding a little water at the same time, and both matter.
- Squeeze the orange peel over the glass so the oil sprays across the surface, then drop it in.
The one thing that matters
A wheated old fashioned is a rounder, easier drink. If you have made one with a high rye bourbon and found it sharp, this is the fix.
Questions
Is Maker's Mark good in an old fashioned?
Yes, and it makes a noticeably softer one. The wheat in the mash replaces the pepper you would get from rye, so the drink comes out rounder and sweeter.
Wheated or rye bourbon for an old fashioned?
Wheated for a soft, sweet drink. High rye for spice and bite. Neither is wrong, they are two different drinks. Try both before you decide.