Though an Old fashioned today means whiskey, it was not always so; early recipes also give the option of a gin, brandy or even rum as spirit. This recipe starts from the Elderflower liqueur St-Germain.
Being Mad Men’s favourite, the sublime Old Fashioned cocktail is the perfect no-nonsense counterpart to all those tediously long drinks full of sugar, fruitiness and fizz. The very first classic Old Fashioned recipes existed out of these 3 simple ingredients: sugar, bitters and whisky.
Replacing the Whiskey by Elderflower liqueur – A game of balancing
The perfect flavour balance
At Foodpairing we study hard to understand the balance of tasty cocktails, backed-up by science, culinary expertise and data. Knowing the balance between water and alcohol in the perfect classic Old Fashioned, we’ve re-created the same flavour profile. The whisky (alcohol) is replaced by St-Germain and Mount Gay Rum. The drink then is diluted (by adding water) to obtain the right alchohol-water balance. No need to add sugar to this Old Fashioned, the sweet liqueur, made from white starry elderflower blooms, will do.
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Aromatic match
If we look at it from an aromatic point of view, St-Germain liqueur has a strong aromatic match with Mount Gay Rum (notice the big green dot in the Foodpairing Inspiration Tool!). The strong link to rum is due to the fruity notes and also the floral notes (raspberry/lychee like). The fruity direction is like an apple/pear smell but is also found in rum, whisky and calvados.
Dark chocolate has floral rose and spicy aromas in common with St-Germain. It adds extra herbal, green and fruity notes to the flavour of the cocktail. It’s the dry element, creating a unique tasting experience. Sip your cocktail, have some chocolate and enjoy this sublime pairing!
Elderflower liqueur – Orange bitters – Mount Gay Rum – dark chocolate
Ingredients
- Mount Gay Eclipse Rum (26)
- St-Germain (23)
- Water (28)
- Orange Bitters (2)
Preparations
Follow the suggested measurements strictly to obtain the taste of an Old Fashioned. Stir and serve in an Old Fashioned glass on the rocks. Finish off with orange peel and enjoy with some dark chocolate.
