An Old Fashioned is already a near-perfect drink. Bourbon, bitters, a little sweetness, plus a big cube is one of my fallback cocktails at the bar.
When I started swapping plain simple syrup for pistachio and date syrups, it changed the flavor but not the feeling the classic Old Fashioned gives you.
This version uses a quarter ounce of two separate simple syrups. I make my own pistachio syrup, but honestly, making date syrup is a pain in the neck, so I just buy it.
Date brings a deep, almost caramel-like sweetness, while pistachio adds a subtle nuttiness that stops it from getting too sweet and cloying.
What Date Syrup Does
Date syrup is made from Medjool dates cooked down with water and sugar. The flavor lands somewhere between molasses and brown sugar — deeply sweet, with a dried-fruit earthiness that pairs really well with aged spirits.
It doesn’t thin out the drink the way a lighter sweetener can, and is sticky like honey, giving the drink a little more texture.
In an Old Fashioned, it softens the bourbon without masking it.
What Pistachio Syrup Adds
Pistachio syrup has a gentle, nutty flavor that’s easy to underestimate. You’re only using a quarter ounce, but it adds a little buttery, slightly earthy complexity.
It pairs with bourbon the way pistachios pair with honey or dried fruit.
Making it at home is straightforward. Simmer equal parts sugar and water with a handful of chopped, unsalted pistachios for about 10 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer and optionally a layer of cheesecloth for a cleaner result. It keeps in the fridge for about two weeks. I store mine in small glass jars and freeze it to make it last even longer.
The Twist: Cinnamon Bitters
The base recipe calls for standard Angostura or aromatic bitters, which works, but my favorite version uses cinnamon bitters.
Cinnamon adds a warm spice note that connects the date and pistachio in the same way my baklava ice cream works well with honey, cinnamon, and pistachio.
If you can’t find cinnamon bitters locally, making a quick cinnamon syrup to use alongside your regular bitters gets you to the same place.
OR use a cinnamon stick for the garnish, which isn’t quite the same but will take out the added sweetness that a third simple syrup would bring to the recipe.
The Garnish
Use an orange peel to garnish, unless you are using a cinnamon stick, although I guess you could use both.
Express the orange peel over the glass before you drop into the glass to release the oils.
A channeling knife or a citrus zester gives you a long, ribbon-style strip that looks put-together without being fussy.
Find more about garnish techniques on my cocktail garnishes page.
The Ice
One large, clear cube. Larger ice melts more slowly, which means less dilution as you drink, and that matters in a spirit-forward cocktail like an old fahioned.
I use a clear ice cube maker to make my cubes, and it makes a difference not just in look, but also in taste, as the clear ice removes all those impurities from my city water.
Mocktail Version: Black Tea Old Fashioned
Strongly brewed black tea makes a solid non-alcoholic base. The tannins give the drink dryness and structure. Although it’s not a perfect bourbon substitute, it’s close enough that the drink still works.
Brew a cup of Assam or Ceylon tea extra strong and let it cool completely. Use 2 oz of chilled tea in place of the bourbon. Keep the date syrup, pistachio syrup, and cinnamon bitters. Stir with ice, strain over a large cube, and garnish with an orange peel.
If you’d rather use an actual non-alcoholic spirit, non-alcoholic whiskey carries the syrups well and gives you more of the bourbon character.
More Cocktails Using Pistachio Syrup or Date Syrup
Both simple syrups are easy to use across a range of drinks. A few cocktail recipes where they fit:
- Roasted Plum Bourbon Old Fashioned — swap in date syrup alongside or instead of the plum syrup for a different kind of richness
- Blackberry Earl Grey Sour — date syrup works in any bourbon sour format; try it as a partial swap for the existing sweetener
- Thyme Fig Whiskey Sour — pistachio and fig are a natural pairing; a small amount of pistachio syrup adds nuttiness without competing with the fig
- Maple Pear Whiskey Sour — pistachio and pear is a subtle but interesting combination worth trying
For tools, glasses, and ingredients I actually use, my Amazon shop has it all in one place. For these syrups specifically, the fine-mesh strainer and cheesecloth combo is what gets you a clean, clear result.
Two syrups, one great Old Fashioned — make it once and you’ll keep both stocked.
Date & Pistachio Old Fashioned Recipe
Glass: Rocks
Ingredients:
- 2 oz bourbon
- 0.25 oz pistachio syrup
- 0.25 oz date syrup
- 2 dashes bitters (aromatic or cinnamon)
- Garnish: orange peel
Instructions: Combine bourbon, both syrups, and bitters in a mixing glass with ice. Stir for 20–25 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. Express an orange peel over the glass and drop it in.
Mocktail: Substitute 2 oz of strongly brewed, chilled black tea (or non-alcoholic whiskey) for the bourbon. Keep all other ingredients the same. Stir with ice, strain over a large cube, garnish with orange peel.
