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Brown Butter Old Fashioned

A rich, nutty Old Fashioned made with brown-butter–washed bourbon.

Base spirit
Whiskey
Style
Spirit-forward
Glassware
Rocks glass
Technique
Stir

The Brown Butter Old Fashioned uses bourbon washed with browned butter for a deep, nutty, caramelized profile. Stirred with demerara syrup and bitters, it gains silky texture and warm pastry-like aromatics. It is decadent yet structured.

A Brown Butter Old Fashioned with a large cube and expressed orange peel.

Ingredients

Servings
  • • 2 oz brown-butter-washed bourbon
  • • 0.25 oz demerara syrup
  • • 2 dashes Angostura

Did you know?

“Fat-washed cocktails became popular in the mid-2000s; brown butter versions are beloved for pastry-like aromatics.”

Source:Modern bar programs; Imbibe

Bartender's Note

Clarify the brown-butter-washed bourbon to ensure clean texture.

Missing a bottle? See smart swaps in Learn.

How to make the Brown Butter Old Fashioned

  1. 1Add brown-butter-washed bourbon, demerara syrup, and Angostura to a mixing glass filled with ice
  2. 2Stir until well chilled
  3. 3Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube
  4. 4Garnish with orange peel and serve

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