The Old-Fashioned Way

What does “old fashioned” mean now that we are in the 21st century and the third decade of the new millennium. One dictionary definition I found said “suited to or favouring the styles, methods, manners, or ideas of past times; out-of-date; antiquated; outmoded”. The question got me thinking, being of middle age, what do I consider to be old fashioned?

Having misspent my youth in the 80’s, I would consider the 70’s to be old fashioned but not the 60’s! This is probably down to my love of cars and music from that decade. When I think of the 60’s I think of Aston Martin DB5, the Jaguar E-Type, Ferrari 250 GTO, Mini Cooper, The Kinks, Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd. These are not what I would call past times, out-of-date or antiquated. My argument being, these are now icons of our time.

The 70’s saw the launch of Morris Marina, Austin Allegro, singers David Soul, Leo Sayer which are most definitely, in my humble opinion, out-of-date or antiquated and perhaps should never have seen the light of day. Incidentally, I made the mistake of asking my son how he would define old fashioned, his two-word reply “you dad”. Harsh! 

So what about old fashioned values….

OLD-FASHIONED VALUES

Given what is going on around us in these unprecedented times, are we on the edge of forgetting old-fashioned values in our lives? It seems these days everyone is at volume 10 and using social media, the likes of Facebook, Instagram, TikTok to vent, and instead of picking up the phone and speaking we message each other. Vinyl turntables are becoming increasingly popular, as parents dig out their old albums and 12” records, impressing teenagers with their retro music collection. My point is will many of us revert to the old-fashioned ways of doing things because they were the best way.

Lockdown has prevented us from enjoying entrenched values we would normally take great pleasure in, for example choosing from an array of local beers on tap in the local pub, or meeting up with friends for a country walk followed by a boozy roast dinner at a friend’s house.

Arguably old-fashioned values are still appreciated and certainly very relevant today. Hopefully soon to make a comeback. Old-fashioned values really depend on what you were taught in your informative years. Being raised by my grand-parents means that old-fashioned values are part of my core. I was taught to respect my elders, say please, thank-you or sorry if I made a mistake. Chivalry such as holding a door for someone or opening a car door for your significant other was the norm when I was growing up. 

During the first lockdown, we showed our respect and thanks to the NHS, and this brought our nation together, if only for a short time but it demonstrated what we are able to do something to show respect to others.

Some of us live by our own rules, what is best for us, what is best for our family and friends. One may not get rich from old-fashioned values but that is not the point often it just makes you feel better.

And lastly, old-fashioned love is not one sided. There’s nothing old-fashioned about old-fashioned love. (Just avoid hearing the song by Paul Williams of the same title, don’t blame me if you do)

You might be wondering what the above has to do with a spirit review. Well it’s all to do with the original cocktail, full name being, The Old Fashioned Whisky Cocktail . The history of this fine beverage, has it’s roots

Quote by Robert Simonson from his book, “The Old-Fashioned: The Story of the World's First Classic Cocktail, with Recipes and Lore”. This is a superb book on all things whisky.

“The Old- Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail (the drink’s full name) is the primordial drink, dating from of the cocktail era. It follows the classic cocktail formula as laid down in 1806: spirit, a bit of sugar, a bit of water, and bitters. It is rare among mixed drinks in that, over the following two centuries, it is never completely faded from view. However, the drink did go through a roller-coaster’s worth of twists and turns.

For the first several decades of its life, the drink went by the name of simply Whiskey Cocktail. During this period, it was served ‘up’ and without ice, and was considered a ‘matutinal’ cocktail-that is, it was commonly drunk in the morning as an eye-opener. By the 1840’s, it picked up popularity as a favoured drink among well-heeled young ‘dudes’ of the time”

 However, this is disputed by the Pendennis Club in Louisville Kentucky, a gentleman’s club founded in 1881, that the Old Fashioned was invented here in honour of James E. Pepper a famous bourbon distiller at the time. I guess we will never really know the exact origin like so many of the original classics.

So with ‘Old-Fashioned’ we have the definition, the values, the history and now for the cocktail itself. My preference of the perfect Old Fashioned is a cocktail made by using a mixing glass filled with ice, four dashes of Angostura Original Bitters, 2 dashes of Angostura Orange Bitters, 25ml of agave syrup, 50ml of Markers Mark Kentucky Bourbon. Stir for about 20 seconds, then pour into my favourite lead crystal whisky glass. Take a sliver of lemon peel and twist then drop into the whiskey. Cut a slice of orange peel, lightly flame and drop into the whisky. Now for the cherry, my preference is for Woodford Reserve Bourbon Gourmet cherries, which really compliment the Maker’s Mark. However, if you do not have these, do without. The reason why cherries were originally used in cocktails dates back to the American Prohibition, 1920 to 1933. To disguise the smell of illicit alcohol, cherries and other fruits were used as they are to this day. 

The reason I use Maker’s Mark Kentucky Straight Bourbon is because it is one of the best bourbon whiskeys and makes the perfect Old Fashioned. Extracted from their own website, Maker’s Marks began with one family's quest to create a bourbon they enjoyed drinking and sharing with friends. That is hardly revolutionary today, but in 1953 it changed an industry. Bill Samuels, Senior quest to create Maker's Mark began with his only copy of the family's trusted, 170-year-old recipe.

After accidentally burning a set of drapes in the process, Bill experimented with different flavouring grains, searching for a mash bill all his own. To save years of aging time, Bill baked several loaves of bread with various grain combinations instead of distilling them. His quick thinking not only saved time but also led him to swap out the traditional rye grain that is commonly used in bourbons for soft, red winter wheat. This replaced the hot bite of rye with the delicate sweetness that Marker’s Mark is known for today.

The flavour of Maker's Mark stood out from the crowd, so co-founder Margie Samuels wanted to ensure the bottle did the same on store shelves. It's said that Margie is the reason most consumers buy their first bottle of Maker's Mark and Bill is the reason they buy their second. The shape of the bottle, look of the label, signature red wax topper and even the name itself are all thanks to Margie.

Maker’s Mark is a classic American Kentucky Bourbon with the ABV 45%**, and arguably because of its quality, is decent enough served straight with a drop of water to open up the aroma. However, I think it comes into its own when used to mix cocktails and is an excellent way to begin a journey into bourbon and rye whiskies as these are very different to what a single malt or even a good, blended whiskey has to offer. Makers ages the bourbon for around 6 years. Unlike most other whiskies, they rotate the barrels between upper and lower floors of the racked warehouse to even out maturation differences.   

One unique point about Maker’s Mark is in its production. Typically, bourbons are made from rye grain, which are often drier and spicier, examples being, Jim Beam, Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve. The mash bill of Markers Mark uses wheat grain, these bourbons tend to be smoother and sweeter. However, wheat is not wildly used within other bourbon distilleries, apart from Makers others include Larceny, Old Fitzgerald and WL Weller.

**In early 2013, Maker’s Mark was entangled in a little public relations nightmare when it announced that the brand would be reducing its bottling strength from the iconic 45% ABV to 42% ABV. The decision represented an attempt by Makers to resolve supply shortages after global sales increase of the previous year. Following consumer uproar on social media, Maker’s Mark chairman Bill Samuels Jr defended the decision with a message on the brand’s website. However, within a week of this statement, Makers confirmed that it would be reversing the decision in response to customer feedback.

In a joint statement, Bill Samuels Jr and Maker’s Mark COO Rob Samuels conceded defeat, stating, “While we thought we were doing what’s right, this is your brand – and you told us in large numbers to change our decision. You spoke. We listened. And we’re sincerely sorry we let you down”. Although acknowledging that this decision would lead to ongoing supply shortages, Makers described it as “a good problem to have”.

My personal score on this great Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, from a possible 100 is 86. A typical wholesale price would be around ￡23 +VAT so it is competitively priced.

• The official tasting notes.

AROMA; Woody oak, caramel, vanilla and wheat prevail in the nose

TASTE; Sweet and balanced with caramel, vanilla and fruity essences

FINISH; Smooth and subtle

Maker's Mark Details

Country; American Whiskey

Distillery; Maker's Mark

Bottler; Maker's Mark

Style; Bourbon Whiskey

ABV; 45.0%

Volume; 70cl