I can’t think of a more perfect cocktail than an Old Fashioned. It’s a delicious combination of bourbon and fruit. The bourbon warms you up, while the fruit reminds you of warmer days. It’s sweet, and it’s bitter, just like life.

The Old Fashioned is a great basic cocktail for any level of home mixologist. The ingredients are simple staples of any bar, and you can never get bored practicing refining this drink. If you are looking for a challenge, check out this CRAFT video to learn how to make a batch of homemade brandied cherries. I would say that most bartenders rely on a sugar cube for sweetness, but I don’t love grains of sugar in the bottom of my glass. During a recent discussion with a true cocktail geek, Josh Perez, I learned that simple syrup is a perfectly cromulent substitution. I hope you enjoy making this drink as much as I enjoy consuming it.

Recipe originally featured on CRAFT.