The Old Fashioned: A Masterclass in the Original Cocktail
Before there were cocktail menus, there was a simple formula: spirit, sugar, water, bitters. In 1806, that combination was the very definition of a "cocktail," and more than two centuries later it's still the drink by which every bartender is measured.
Join us at Wigle Whiskey for an evening devoted to the Old Fashioned. Our bar team will guide you through the drink's history, from its 19th-century origins to the fruit-muddled detours of the mid-century and the modern return to restraint. You'll learn why technique matters as much as ingredients, and you'll see how the spirit at the center changes everything.
We'll build Old Fashioneds side by side using Wigle's own whiskeys. You'll taste how a spicy rye and a rounder bourbon each pull the drink in a different direction. You'll learn how to balance sweetness and bitterness, and how dilution, temperature and a well-expressed citrus peel bring it all together. You'll leave with the skills and the confidence to make a bar-quality Old Fashioned at home, and a clearer sense of how you like yours.
Whether you're new to whiskey cocktails or have been stirring them for years, this is a chance to slow down and master a classic.
What you'll learn
The history of the Old Fashioned and the original definition of the cocktail ·
How rye and bourbon each shape the drink · Sugar, syrups and bitters, and how
to choose between them · Stirring, dilution and proper ice · Garnish technique,
including how to express a citrus peel
Your exclusive ticket to our cocktail class includes:
☄️ Guidance and education on the art of crafting three Wigle Cocktails
🌌 Small bites from the Wigle Kitchen
✨15% off all Wigle Bottles