Less Is More: Old Fashioned
© Damien Guichard
Bar ohne Namen
Entschlossen verweigert sich Savage, der Bar einen Namen zu geben. Stattdessen sind drei klassische Design-Symbole das Logo der Trinkstätte in Dalston: ein gelbes Quadrat, ein rotes Viereck, ein blauer Kreis. Am meisten wurmt den sympathischen Franzosen dabei, dass es kein Gelbes-Dreieck-Emoji gibt. Das erschwert auf komische Weise die Kommunikation. Der Instagram Account lautet: a_bar_with_shapes-for_a_name und anderenorts tauchen die Begriffe ‘Savage Bar’ oder eben ‚Bauhaus Bar‘ auf.
Für den BCB bringt Savage nun sein Barkonzept mit und mixt für uns mit Unterstützung von Russian Standard Vodka an der perfekten Bar dazu.
Another month of tormenting classic cocktails and their lovers — and this time, the Old Fashioned is up next.
The Old Fashioned is *the* original cocktail. In fact, a quick Google search will tell you it used to be called simply that: the Cocktail
There’s a lot to be said about how stripped back this drink really is. Whisky, sugar, bitters. That’s it. You can hardly get more minimal than that — and yet it remains one of the most ordered drinks in the world. The Old Fashioned is also one of the ultimate test cocktails: a drink by which cocktail aficionados will judge the quality of an establishment. Does the bartender ask the right questions? Offer enough whisky options? Adjust sweetness levels?
It looks simple.
You might remember the ingredients. You might remember the method. But knowing how long to stir, recognising when the drink has taken on enough water, and accounting for the additional dilution that will happen in the glass on ice — that takes practice.
© Damien Guichard
Simple versus easy. Now that is a distinction I love talking about.
Bartenders are influenced by trends, environments, and the people around them. There is no single truth in the art of mixing drinks — only a multitude of perspectives shaped by culture, history, geography, and mentorship. Where you are, who you serve, and who taught you will all influence how you work. And switching venues often means unlearning just as much as learning.
After years of honing your craft, something shifts. You begin to understand what you actually believe in. You identify your style. That becomes your truth. Suddenly, things feel simpler. More systematic. You might even wonder whether you’re cutting corners — when in reality, you’ve just understood the system.
You’ve learned how to make drinks feel obvious.
© Damien Guichard
And that’s the beauty of it. While simplicity is the absence of complex mechanisms, it takes experience to first see those mechanisms — and be able to tweak and playfully adapt at will.
So let’s return to the Old Fashioned. Boozy. Stirred down. Perfectly diluted. A firm bitterness. That’s the structure.
Then there's the other version — the muddled orange wedge, the fluorescent pink cherry. That’s cocktail culture.
Now, what if we keep that drink’s recognisable DNA and turn it into something fun, delicious, and contemporary? That’s experience.
Call it a Comeback
For one serving
60 ml Bourbon
10 ml Dry Curaçao
2.5 ml Simple Syrup
8 drops Black Walnut Bitters
15 ml Pure Cherry Juice
© Damien Guichard
Add all ingredients to a bottle and store in the freezer. Serve directly over ice.
Here’s a simple and easy way to twist a classic — without breaking the bank and without losing the soul of a beloved drink.
Cheers
