OLD-FASHIONED

This classic may, in fact, be the first cocktail, or at least the first to be called as such -- and one of the easiest to make. Like many old cocktails, the "official" recipe is a matter of debate, but almost all of the recipes call for bourbon. Basil Hayden's is a nice mixing whiskey, and its pepper undertones interact nicely with the bitters and, olfactorily speaking, with the citrus garnishes.

• 1 sugar cube
• Angostura bitters
• Soda water (optional)
• 1 1/2 ounces bourbon
• Lemon peel garnish
• Orange slice and maraschino cherries (optional)

In an old-fashioned glass (or a standard whiskey tumbler), deposit the sugar cube at the bottom. Saturate the cube with 2 or 3 shakes of Angostura bitters. When the cube is nice and red, add a splash of soda water (this step is optional, and many cocktail purists say there's no room for soda water in an old-fashioned), and muddle everything together with a spoon until it's dissolved.

Add ice cubes. Over ice, pour the bourbon. Mix. Garnish with lemon peel, a slice of orange, and 2 maraschino cherries.

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