4-Ingredient Aperol Old Fashioned

Love an Old Fashioned and ready to spice it up a bit without too much departure from the original? This Aperol Old Fashioned uses the popular Italian Aperitif to bring vibrance and flavor to your favorite cocktail, with just 4 simple ingredients.

This Aperol Bourbon Cocktail is truly as easy as it gets, utilizing high-impact ingredients to bring bold flavor and color to each smooth sip.

As a mom with a hectic schedule and refined taste, I love little hacks like substitutions one simple ingredient to elevate your recipes.

A classic Old Fashioned is simply whiskey, bitters, sugar, and water. The only difference here is that we are using a bitters Aperitif in place of the aromatic bitters. And the result is so vibrant and flavorful, you’ll never go back!

Aperol Old Fashioned Ingredient Highlights

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Aperol is an Italian bitters Aperitif that gets its vibrant color from rhubarb. It works great in place of aromatic bitters in an Old Fashioned.

Since this cocktail is made up of only a few ingredients, the flavor of each ingredient really shines through. So, my best advice is to use your favorite bourbon for this cocktail!

But if you need some guidance on choosing your bourbon for an Old Fashioned, a 90-proof minimum is a good starting point. A 90 proof or above will keep its potency even when mixed with the other ingredients and when your ice begins to melt.

And while you can absolutely use any kind of whiskey and still get a delicious drink here, the extra sweetness in bourbon makes it the perfect whiskey for your Aperol Old Fashioned. I usually go for Maker’s Mark.

Aperol Old Fashioned Tips and Tricks

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Consider Whiskey Ice

Whiskey ice is basically a big block of ice that is used in place of a bunch of smaller pieces of ice. Because of its size, it melts a lot slower than your average cube.

Slow-melting ice is always best for any cocktails that are intended for slow sipping and savoring, like this Aperol Old Fashioned.

Slower melting ice means your drink won’t get watered down as quickly, giving it a longer lifespan for delicious flavor.

Making Your Own Simple Syrup

You can very easily make your own. All you need is equal parts sugar and water. You can use brown sugar, granulated sugar, or even coconut sugar to make your homemade simple syrup.

This recipe works well with any sugar. In fact, brown sugar will enhance the caramel notes in the bourbon. Still, granulated sugar is a more classic way to make simple syrup for an Old Fashioned.

To make your own simple syrup, just add equal parts sugar and water to a small pot over high heat. Whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and quickly remove from heat. Next, transfer it to a heat-safe glass and allow it to cool completely before adding it to your drink.

Don’t Skip the Garnish

Again, since there are such minimal ingredients in this cocktail, they all serve a very important purpose.

The orange peel in the Old Fashioned adds a subtle citrus flavor and aroma, that really rounds it out.

Express the oil from your orange peel by using clean hands to squeeze it over your glass, then drop the peel right in.

Stir It Up

Just a couple of quick stirs will do. No need for aggressive stirring or shaking in this drink.

In fact, I suggest you make this drink directly in your glass rather than in a cocktail mixer or shaker. Less clean-up!