Improved Whiskey Cocktail

The Old Fashioned’s ornate cousin, lifted with maraschino, absinthe and a cherry.

• Rye whiskey60 ml
• Maraschino liqueur7.5 ml
• Absinthe2.5 ml
• Angostura and Peychaud’s1 dash each
• Lemon peel and cherryto garnish

Stir the rye, maraschino, absinthe and bitters with ice until chilled. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass and garnish with a lemon peel and a cherry.

CREATED

1876

CREATOR

Jerry Thomas

STATE

United States

LOCATION

New York

The Improved Whiskey Cocktail appeared in Jerry Thomas’s 1876 Bar-tender’s Guide, alongside improved versions of the brandy and gin cocktails. These “improved” Old Fashioneds were distinguished by European ingredients — maraschino liqueur and a dash of absinthe — and a lemon-moistened glass rim. Thomas’s recipe is the template for the modern drink: whiskey, sugar, bitters, maraschino and absinthe, stirred and served with a lemon twist.