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October 13 to 22

1 COMMUNITY. 10 DAYS.
1 GREAT COCKTAIL.

Our fourth annual celebration returns to bars
and restaurants nationwide. Keep it classic or
discover new twists on this iconic cocktail,
while supporting a great cause.

Save The Date

Mix an
old fashioned

video poster

Award-winning bartender & author Jeffrey
Morgenthaler shows how easy it is to mix
this classic cocktail at home.

Get Recipe

HISTORY OF THE
OLD FASHIONED

In 1789, the Rev. Elijah Craig became the first
to char oak barrels. Less than 20 years later, the
Old Fashioned was born. Discover the origins
of the world's first classic cocktail with the
Father of Bourbon.

1806 THE WHISKEY COCKTAIL

The Old Fashioned was originally known
as "the whiskey cocktail" and considered
"matutinal"; that is, it was generally
consumed in the morning.

1862 The Cocktail, Defined

Jerry Thomas's book, "The Bar-Tender's Guide," describes the whiskey cocktail as "a couple dashes of Boker's bitters, twice as many dashes of gum syrup, and a ‘wine glass' of whiskey."

1880s Name Comes Into Fashion

After years of cocktail experimentation and permutation, calls for a return to "old-style drinking" give rise to the name "Old Fashioned." The term is widely adopted.

1930s Muddled Fruit Addition

Fruit becomes widely used as an ingredient versus a garnish. A 1936 New York Times letter to the editor claims the trend began during Prohibition, "to disguise the horrible taste of terrible liquor."

2010 Returning to Its Roots

Most of the country's top bartenders shun the use of fruit in their Old Fashioned cocktails, using an orange swath or brandied cherry for garnish only.

2019 Recognizing the Greatness Within

Drinks International recognizes the Old Fashioned as the World's #1 Classic Cocktail for the fifth year in a row.

2020 Celebrating the Old Fashioned

Elijah Craig partners with PUNCH to host their first annual Old Fashioned Week®. The event raises $100,000 to support bar & restaurant workers' affected by COVID-19.

Elijah Craig and Southern Smoke

Southern Smoke Foundation supports food
and beverage workers nationwide through
emergency relief funding and access to
mental health services.

The Foundation provides direct funding to
individuals rebuilding from natural disasters,
needing emergency medical treatment, and
recovering from accidents and other crises. Its
mental health program Behind You provides no-
cost counseling to F+B workers in several states.