Alternatively, this drink offers an easy way to experiment with tequila. Made with only three ingredients and no muddling required, the variation on an old-fashioned is easy and delicious!
Use large ice cubes to slow your tequila sipping and better appreciate its aged flavors.
1. Reposado Tequila
Reposado tequila has been aged 2-11 months in wooden barrels or tanks, with each type of wood used affecting its color and aroma. Reposado is popular among bartenders as a perfect balance between the brightness of blanco tequilas and the oaky flavor profiles associated with anejos.
Reservado tequila can be used in a range of cocktails, but its versatility shines brightest in old-fashioned and margaritas. You could also use it in Manhattans, yellowjackets, or whiskey sours – especially as an additive!
To create a Tequila Old Fashioned, combine agave syrup and bitters in a rocks or lowball glass before adding ice and stirring the drink – then garnishing it with orange peel as desired.
Tequila Old Fashioneds are classic cocktails that can be enjoyed neat or over ice. Due to its simplicity, this drink is an excellent way for new bartenders to demonstrate their mixology skills in front of guests.
An Old Fashioned mixes Blanco, reposado, or anejo tequila with agave nectar and bitters for optimal flavor and price point. Your choice of tequila may depend on desired tastes and price point – anejo offers prominent notes such as baked space, toasted oak, and vanilla for the best experience when creating this cocktail, while Reposado may cost slightly less while having similar characteristics as its higher priced counterpart but is smoother; usually recommended as sipping rather than mixing drinks!
Reposado tequila has a light straw hue and offers a smooth vanilla taste, aged for two to one year in oak barrels for optimal results. This gives it its golden hue and sweet oaky vanilla flavors for maximum versatility in cocktails such as margaritas or sunrises.
2. Agave Nectar
Agave nectar is an ideal natural sweetener that complements the aged flavors of tequila, making it the perfect choice for creating an Old Fashioned. It can easily replace simple syrup or granulated sugar, which would add too much sweetness, but using small quantities may still work. However, we advise using only agave nectar as your sweetener for maximum consistency and convenience.
Anejo tequila, aged at least one year in former whiskey barrels and featuring vanilla, caramel, and roasted agave notes that margarita lovers crave, is best for creating these sophisticated drinks.
Anejo Tequila boasts a luxurious taste that appeals to both lovers of Tequila and those unfamiliar with it. This is due to its smooth flavor balancing agave, oak, and butterscotch flavors without one overpowering another, and its final finish is rounded out by subtle heat with just a hint of smokiness.
Try switching up the classic Tequila Old Fashioned by switching up its ingredient. Mezcal is produced by roasting underground the heart (pina) of an agave plant before mashing to extract its juice – giving an earthy and fruity flavor profile, perfect for pairing with reposado tequila in this cocktail.
Agave nectar will serve to cut through the richness of tequila and reveal more subtle characteristics of mezcal while adding some orange bitters will intensify the flavors found within both spirits.
Add the tequila, agave syrup, and bitters to a glass of ice and stir until chilled. Top off your drink by twisting an orange peel over it to release its oils into the drink before serving.
3. Angostura Bitters
Bitters are concentrated liquids from steeping herbs, spices, roots, or fruit in alcohol for several hours or overnight to extract flavorful extracts that enhance cocktails with unique bitter notes. Angostura bitters add depth of flavor and complexity when used as part of this recipe; here, they balance the sweetness of agave nectar while providing its signature bitter edge.
Angostura Bitters take their name from the town of Angostura in Venezuela, where their initial production occurred. Although their exact recipe remains confidential, it’s known that it contains over 40 herbs and spices, including gentian root, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods and vanilla pods, and some alcohol for preservation purposes.
Angostura bitters can be used to enhance the flavors of many beverages, most commonly alcohol but sometimes soft drinks as well. A popular variation on an Old Fashioned is to switch up its base spirit – typically whiskey or bourbon – for something fresh like tequila instead. This adds an exciting and fresh new dimension while remaining true to traditional elements of an Old Fashioned cocktail; other types of spirits, such as rum or mezcal, may also be used, enabling bartenders to experiment with different flavors while creating unique cocktails!
A Tequila Old Fashioned is an easy and delectable cocktail to create that blends the smooth flavors of aged anejo tequila with subtle sweetness from muddled sugar and aromatic bitters – the ideal combination for whiskey lovers looking for something to sip alongside their favorite spirit! This sophisticated drink can also be made using brandy as an alternative.
To prepare a tequila old fashioned cocktail, you will require a short rocks glass or tumbler, one large ice cube, 2 ounces of reposado tequila, one teaspoon of agave nectar, and 2-3 drops of Angostura bitters – these ingredients should all be mixed over ice before being strained into your glass to serve.
A Tequila Old Fashioned is one of the most accessible and enjoyable cocktails, boasting simple preparation steps anyone can master. Ideal for sharing among friends or enjoying solo, this recipe will leave a lasting impression at any event with its sophisticated flavor and beautiful presentation.
4. Orange Peel
If you’re in the mood for something unique and delicious, switch up your Old Fashioned with something different – try substituting tequila for bourbon! You will discover the subtleties of its agave flavor, which elevate this timeless cocktail.
Avion Tequilas features three expressions–Blanco, Reposado, and Anejo–each offering unique flavors that pair perfectly with cocktails. Reposado’s rich vanilla and agave notes pair nicely with orange bitters and citrus from an orange peel for this old-fashioned drink.
Make this Tequila Old-Fashioned Cocktail by combining all ingredients in a rocks glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled before straining into another glass for serving – garnished with an orange peel strip!
An extra touch can complete a drink and is an effortless way to elevate any casual or home party drink. A simple twist of orange peel releases its citrus oils directly into your cocktail and gives it that special finishing touch.
Use orange peel strips or cocktail cherries to add color and balance your cocktail’s sweet and tart components without overdoing it with too much sugar or extra flavors. Your drink already boasts enough complexity; be wary of adding too many additional elements.
A Classic tequila old-fashioned can be made with regular or double-distilled tequila. However, we highly suggest an anejo variety – aged one-three years; it’s rich vanilla and oaky notes will pair beautifully with the sweetness of agave syrup and bitters for an exquisite drink!
An Old Fashioned is a delicious combination of sugar and water muddled in a rocks glass with bitters for flavor, then filled with large ice cubes for cooling purposes. After adding the desired tequila and garnishing with cocktail cherry or orange peel – sit back and savor! This drink should be enjoyed slowly to appreciate its complexity and depth fully.
