7 Spots For The Best Old Fashioned In Western New York

When it comes to drinks, "Old Fashioned" isn't normally an adjective. It's the drink itself. And if you are looking for a great one, there are a couple of places here that you're going to want to check out.

I'm no authority on old fashioneds

It feels weird to say this, but I'll admit that I'm still kind of new to the "old-fashioned world." I remember my first old fashioned. It was at a charity event years ago. At that point, I'd never had one, and it was an open bar, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

To put it lightly, I was not a fan. It was pretty harsh and I didn't enjoy it at all.

So years later, while hanging out with another friend decided to give it another shot. We went to a place in Hamburg called Alchemy. I'm not sure if bartenders know when they make a drink that they could be creating a new obsession for people. I had one old fashioned and then another. Then when I left, I couldn't stop thinking about it all week. It could be that everything was perfect that night. The atmosphere was awesome. I was with my wife and some great friends, and that drink was just amazing.

I made it my mission to find the best one in Western New York and I've been trying ever since. I've tried a lot of them and found some of my favorites. But I still feel like a rookie. There are so many different bourbons and different ways to prepare them, and everyone does it differently. I just know that I like what I like.

What is an old fashioned?

An old fashioned is a cocktail made with whiskey (normally bourbon or rye) that is mixed with simple syrup and bitters and a fruit garnish (cherry and orange peel).  It got its name because people used to order their drinks and say, "Make it the old-fashioned way."

People who drink them a lot normally have a specific way they like them prepared. For instance, I like to have my fruit muddled and I like when the ice is craft ice. It can be a sphere or a large cube but I'm not as big of a fan of the nuggets.

I asked you where some of your favorite places to get old fashioneds were and I added some of my own favorites to this list. Hartman's is easily one of the best. Bourbon is what they do, and they do it well. I remember really enjoying the one from Saint Neri. Alchemy was fantastic, and right around the corner, Black Smoke Bourbon Bar was great too.

Do you have a favorite that didn't make this list? Let me know! I want to try them too!