My House Old Fashioned Bitters Mix

Drinking bitters on their own only tells you so much; I'm worried about what mix works best with bourbon and sugar

Even though on its own I preferred an equal-parts mix of 3 different bitters, that doesn’t mean that’s the mix that should go in the drink. Once paired with Woodinville Bourbon and a simple turbinado syrup, what bitters are best?

Note that I view Angostura bitters as a non-negotiable, so I tested every iteration of mix involving those in the bill.

With Only Angostura

As I mentioned before, the highlight I get most in this drink is of the stone fruits inherent in the bourbon. More water from dilution leads to more wood, but it’s never spicy or smoky.

With Ango and Orange

Adding orange bitters to the mix changes the nose of the drink dramatically - you smell those orange zest esters immediately. More high orange notes come through on the finish as well, which detracts from the stone fruit but highlights more baking spice on the palate. Overall a sweeter, lighter drink.

With Ango and Aztec Chocolate

Somehow, the combination of 2 baking spice heavy bitters begets a less baking spice heavy drink. The spice that does come through is much more cacao-centric, primarily on the finish where it pairs wonderfully with the stone fruit. Overall, a sweeter drink with a different profile.

With Full Bartender’s Mix

While the bitters mix by itself highlights all 3 components in equal measure, in the drink its a bit less even. Chocolate comes through up front but quickly retreats to be replaced by orange zest while the base spices from the Angostura get lost. Overall a more flavorful drink, but the bourbon starts getting washed out.

Overall, of the 4 options my favorite is the combination of Angostura and Aztec Chocolate bitters in equal parts.

Next week, we put it all together and profile the final recipe for my house Old Fashioned.