Cocktail lovers and bourbon enthusiasts: the annual Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week is back. Running from November 4 to 18, the “week” (a generous serve at 15 days long) is dedicated to celebrating the history, influence and continued popularity of the Old Fashioned.
This year, 40 Australian bars, restaurants and bartenders pay homage to the classic mixed drink, serving vintage versions and inventive reinterpretations among a host of other event exclusives. Besides the cocktail itself, there’ll be masterclasses, food pairings and Woodford Reserve educational events. You can even claim a complimentary drink at your favourite venue.
One of the world’s most popular classic cocktails, the Old Fashioned is a deceptively simple mix of bourbon or rye, bitters and sugar, stirred and served with a citrus garnish (generally orange peel). According to the common (but probably apocryphal) origin story, the drink first popped up at Kentucky’s Pendennis Club in the 1880s, before being popularised at New York’s Waldorf-Astoria not long after. It’s a straightforward drink that leaves plenty of room to get creative, so expect to try subtle twists and some more ambitious variations among the Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week offerings.
See the full list of bars participating in Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned Week:
New South Wales:
Jolene’s
Cardea
Jacksons on George
Pocket Terrigal
Victoria:
Grainery
Manchuria
Mazo 128
Queensland:
The Press Club
The Jubilee
Caxton Hotel
Boston Shaker
The Roosevelt Lounge
Loose Moose
Bine
Hideaway
Den Divine
Western Australia:
South Australia:
Fumo Blu
Therapy Cocktail Bar
Fourth
Tasmania
The Den
Wrest Point
Sandy Bay Road
oldfashionedweek.woodfordreserve.com
Additional reporting by Evan Jones
We hope you like the places we recommend on Broadsheet. Our editors select each one independently. Broadsheet may receive an affiliate commission when you follow some links.
