Italian Old Fashioned

Ingredients:

• 2 Teaspoons Luxardo cherry juice
• 2-3 Dashes orange bitters
• 1/4 Cup (2oz) bourbon whiskey
• 1 (1-inch) Strip orange rind
• Garnish: 2 Luxardo cherries

Method:

1. Combine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker; add ice. Cover and shake vigorously for about 30 seconds to 1 minute; strain into a cocktail glass. Lightly rub the rim of the glass with orange peel and serve over ice. Garnish with orange peel and cherries and serve immediately. Yield: 1 cocktail.

An old-fashioned is a bourbon-lovers drink, and making a quality version depends completely on using the best ingredients. Luxardo and Amarena both make premium Italian cocktail cherries that are worlds better than the most basic maraschino cherries. It's worth the effort to seek out the imported ones for this classic beverage. Use a vegetable peeler to cut a thin strip of orange rind off of a ripe fresh orange, taking care to leave behind all the bitter white pith.