Black Flannel Academy

Old Fashioned

Bourbon · Rye whiskey · Spirit-forward · Whiskey

Whiskey remains the subject; measured sugar, bitters and dilution should frame its grain and maturation character.

IBA published specification · 1 reference serve.

Glassware

Old-fashioned glass

Technique

Build

Ice

Cubes

Garnish

orange slice or zest, and a cocktail cherry

Preparation effort

Low

Ingredients & measurements

Ingredient	mL	US fl oz	Source measure / qualification
Bourbon or Rye Whiskey	45	1.52	45 ml Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
1 Sugar Cube	—	—	1 Sugar Cube
Few Dashes Angostura Bitters	—	—	Few Dashes Angostura Bitters
Few Dashes Plain Water	—	—	Few Dashes Plain Water

Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.

How to make it

Dissolve the sugar with bitters and water. Add ice and the selected whiskey, then stir until chilled.

Glass: Old-fashioned glass. Ice: Cubes. Garnish: orange slice or zest, and a cocktail cherry.

Flavor & balance

Sweet (supporting): Sweeteners, fruit or sweetened modifiers round the attack and add weight; product sugar varies.
Bitter (supporting): Cocktail bitters or coffee contribute a bitter accent; a small dose need not dominate.

Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.

Preparation & batching

Service complexity: low. Batchability: premix with dilution trial.

Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.

Finish chilling, dilution and garnish at service. Trial the actual serving method before approving a batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.

Spirit & ingredient choices

Style	Role	Evidence level	Qualification
S106 — Bourbon	base	documented	Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S122 — Rye Whiskey	base	documented	Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S082 — Non-potable Bitters	seasoning	documented	Named ingredient fits this style family; confirm the chosen product identity.
S104 — American Single Malt Whiskey	base	suggested substitution	An American single malt is a development option; its use is not established by this source.
S130 — Wheat Whiskey	base	suggested substitution	Wheat whiskey is a development option; adjust sweetness after tasting.

Recipe notes & variations

For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.

Sources & further reading

International Bartenders Association — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.

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