Written by James Clayton in Food & Drink on the 8th August 2014

"Hi James, fancy joining up with Woodford Reserve and making some cocktails?" The start to an email everyone wants to receive (Unless you're not called James, I guess). 

The lovely people over at Woodford Reserve were running a challenge, to put a twist on a classic and refashion the Old Fashioned, arguably the original cocktail. 

Let's bring you up to date. Woodford Reserve is THE name in bourbon and is widely used in all the chicest bars around the world, think smokey New York bar, suited gents propping the bar with Old Fashioned glasses and you're along the right lines.

Distilled on site in Versailles, Kentucky since 1812, it is from the oldest distillery in Kentucky. After many years of the distillery changing hands, the former Labrot & Graham distillery was bought by Brown-Forman, who pumped mullions of dollars into a refurbishment. 

'In 1996, the first bottles of Woodford Reserve were marketed, made in small batches using honey barrels' 

Woodford Reserve is the go-to bourbon for the Old Fashioned, the original cocktail, some say, dating back to the 1880's. 

A simple mix of bourbon, sugars, bitters and ice, it's simplicity and smoothness have lasted the test of time. So how do you improve on a classic?

I got my thinking cap on and came up with this little beauty! The caramel and butterscotch flavours in the bourbon would be beautifully complimented by the sweet tones from almond flavours, so I substituted the sugar for 15ml of Monin Amaretto syrup, a lovely warming almondy syrup that I usually use in my snazzy coffees! 

I also tarted it up with a couple of fruity garnishes, orange, again this compliments the Angostura orange bitters, and a cherry (best mates with almond) and... voilà! 

Serve it in an Old Fashioned glass, or an obligatory jam jar for extra shabbiness, with lots and lots of ice! Enjoy!

Woodford Reserve: Born in Kentucky, Raised in Manhattan. We refashion the old fashioned for this tried and tested challenge.