It is easy to make the original Old Fashioned cocktail. Mix sugar with bitters, a few ounces of whiskeys, some ice and maybe an orange twist. It’s not rocket science. Making a good Old Fashioned takes a lot of work. Each ingredient must be perfect, and the cocktail must be mixed at the correct dilution. This is where ready-made mixes come in handy.
These Old Fashioned mixes are ready to drink with justice and whiskey. Some don’t even require it. These Old Fashioned mixes are consistent and well-crafted, so you can get exactly what you want each time. Choose the right mix for you.
WithCo Ellis is the Best Overall
The mixture is made from orange oil and orange sugar (pure cane sugar, orange oil, and Madagascar vanilla). The packaging is beautiful.
Best Budget: Hella Cocktail Co.
From a weekend hobby to brewing bitters, the company has become a successful cocktail business with placements in everything from Whole Foods to Delta Airlines. Hella now makes various products, from bitters to canned beverages to mixes to a vibrant Old Fashioned.
Although the instructions for this mix call for other bitters to be added, they are not necessary. This mix makes a festive cocktail that smells like Christmas, with clove-studded orange notes. This mix is bright and citrusy, perfect for people who enjoy an Old Fashioned mix with oranges. Bitters are added to balance the citrus fruit and add depth and weight. Mix it with either the standard whiskey or rum to make it even more interesting.
Spooky: Runner-up, Best Budget
The Hella is great for people who enjoy an orange wedge mixed into their drink. This one, however, is best for those who love to mix a few cherries into their Old Fashioned. This is a light and easy-to-drink drink that can be enjoyed with lots of ice and garnished with a fruit salad.
This cherry-forward mix is perfect for stocking bars at parties. A 750ml bottle will do the trick. Mix it with brandy and garnish with a few maraschino cherry slices for a retro Wisconsin-style Old Fashioned.
Barsmith: Best Craft
Barsmith was created in response to the challenge of bartenders to make syrups and mixes that would match those they had made. The Old Fashioned blend is a success. It’s hard to believe that a drink made with this mix was not homemade. This bartender-created mix is dark, rich, and not overly sweet. It’s ideal for those who prefer Old Fashioneds a little dryer.
Although the directions call for other bitters to be added, they are not required. If you’re looking to increase the spice, you can add them to your recipe. You can take the spiced notes to another level by making an Old Fashioned using this mix and rye whiskey or high-rye Bourbon.
White’s Elixirs is the runner-up, best craft
White’s was founded by Brad White, a cocktail enthusiast who visited Nashville’s Patterson House to taste a syrup. This inspired White to create his syrup. White’s Elixirs makes cocktail mixes with pure cane sugar and other real ingredients. The Old Fashioned mix includes the orange zest, aromatic bitters and orange bitters, orange oil extract, gentian roots, and a little bit of citric acid. This mix enhances the whiskey’s sweetness while adding deliciously nutty flavors and punches of orange.
You can enjoy a classic Old Fashioned mixed with the mix or go to the brand’s Instagram to see variations (and cute photos of White’s dog, Loki), like the Loki, Is Bananas, which is Old Fashioned mix with rum and banana liqueur.