A complete history of one of the world's most iconic cocktails--now the poster child of the modern cocktail revival--with fifty recipes for classic variations as well as contemporary updates.No single cocktail is as iconic, as beloved, or as discussed and fought-over as the Old-Fashioned. Its formula is simple: just whiskey, bitters, sugar, and ice. But how you combine those ingredientsin what proportion, using which brands, and with what kind of garnishis the subject of much impassioned debate.The Old-Fashionedis the spirited, delightfully unexpected story of this renowned and essential drink: its birth as the ur-cocktail in the nineteenth century, darker days in the throes of Prohibition, re-ascension in the 1950s and 1960s (as portrayed and re-popularized by Don Draper onMad Men), and renaissance as the star of the contemporary craft cocktail movement.Also featured are more than forty cocktail recipes, including classic variations, regional twists, and contemporary updates from top bartenders around the country. All are accessible, delicious, and elegant in their simplicity, demonstrating the versatility and timelessness of the Old-Fashioned formula.With its rich history, stunning photography, and impeccable recipes,The Old-Fashionedis a celebration of one of America's greatest bibulous achievements.

It is a necessary addition to any true whiskey- or cocktail-lover's bookshelf, and destined to become a classic on par with its namesake beverage.