Via iStockphoto / @rda_roccodeangelis TikTok
An Italian bartender called his Old Fashioned cocktail "perfect," but viewers quickly spotted a problem with the cherry garnish.
An Italian bartender showed viewers how to make what he called the “perfect” Old Fashioned, hitting the cocktail‘s familiar notes of bourbon, bitters, sugar, and a splash of soda water. But when RDA (@rda_roccodeangelis) topped the drink with a bright red maraschino cherry, commenters immediately took issue.
The video has racked up more than 830,000 views, with viewers arguing that one seemingly minor garnish kept his Old Fashioned from being anywhere close to “perfect.” And, somewhat ironically, the cherry they wanted him to use instead comes from Italy.
The Surprisingly Complicated History Of The Old Fashioned
A popular legend credits Louisville’s Pendennis Club with creating the Old Fashioned for Kentucky whiskey distiller James E. Pepper. But the historical record doesn’t support that story. References to “old-fashioned cocktails” appeared in print before the club even opened, suggesting the drink evolved from an earlier style of cocktail rather than being invented by a single bartender.
Difford’s Guide notes that the formula that eventually became the “Old-Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail” dates to the early 1800s, defined by a newspaper at the time as a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. They were considered a “hair of the dog” cocktail, or morning drink. As bartenders began adding modern twists like muddled fruit, orange slices, and soda water, some customers reportedly began to ask for theirs the “old-fashioned” way.
How The Bartender Makes His ‘Perfect’ Old Fashioned
The ingredient list for RDA’s Old Fashioned aligns with modern versions of the drink, though some aspects may frustrate the average purist.
The content creator told his audience to use “Zolletta [or sugar] with narrowness, a glass of soda to facilitate the dissolution of the zolletta and 6 cl of bourbon whisky … Maraschino cherry as garnish.”
The creator hits all of the usual notes: spirit, sugar, and some form of water, alongside bitters, which he included in his video. The use of soda water rather than still water is a departure from stricter versions of the drink.
While traditional Old Fashioned cocktails do not have any form of “seltzer, soda water, ginger ale, or lemon soda,” according to cocktail lover Martin Doudoroff, mid-century drink recipes sometimes used fizzy drinks as a dissolving agent for the sugar.
Cocktail writer Kevin Kos notes that the Old Fashioned continued to evolve alongside changing drinking trends. Eventually, versions of the drink such as the Wisconsin Old Fashioned and the Oaxaca Old Fashioned came to fruition. Often, drinks would come in and out of fashion based on the supply and demand of certain ingredients.
Commenters Criticize The ‘Cherry On Top’
Viewers said that there was one ingredient in RDA’s Old Fashioned that was completely off: the cherry.
RDA used a maraschino cherry in his Old Fashioned, which viewers vehemently criticized. They told him he needed a Luxardo cherry instead.
“The minute I see those maraschino cherries I know it’s not a “perfect“ old-fashioned… Where are the Luxo cherries, bro?” One commenter asked.
Another viewer said, “If it’s not a Luxardo Cherry I don’t want it.”
Luxardo cherries are considered the “original” maraschino cherry and a luxury garnish. The famous cherries are from Italy and are made with pitted cherries, cherry juice, and sugar.
In contrast, American maraschino cherries have a later origin date. A scientist at Oregon Agricultural College, Ernest Wiegand, wanted to recreate the flavor profile of imported Luxardo cherries during the Prohibition era. So he mixed cherries with “brine” and “calcium salts.” He dyed his version of the Luxardo cherry bright red and added almond flavoring to the mix. The American version of the maraschino cherry, then, is a sweet mad science experiment. To many, it doesn’t have anywhere near the complex flavor profile of an original Luxardo cherry.
Others said that the content creator accidentally coughed in the cocktail, making the experience less than perfect for a would-be customer.
A third viewer added, “perfect old fashion[ed]…coughs in drink….tops with cherry from wal-mart.”
@rda_roccodeangelis PERFECT OLD FASHIONED👌✅ Metodo: Stir and strain in mixing glass. Zolletta di zucchero impregnata di angostura, uno splash di soda per favorire lo scioglimento della zolletta e 6 cl do bourbon whisky, mi raccomando di qualità! Ciliegina al maraschino come garnish🍸 #oldfashioned #cocktail #rda #roccodeangelisbartender
BroBible reached out to RDA via TikTok direct message for comment.