cocktail favourites : the old fashioned

an old boyfriend of mine got me hooked on whiskey - well maybe not hooked, but i am a pretty big fan. since giving up diet sodas (and full fat sodas) i have had to find an alternative for my usual jack and diet coke. i am a massive fan of a cocktail called, the old fashioned. it's pretty strong, and something you'd usually think of as a mans drink of choice, so i have found several ways of making them a tiny bit more girly.

here's the basic recipe -

2 shots whiskey.
a few drops of angostura bitters.
a splash of sour mix (lemon juice, water, sugar)
a dash of soda water (or lemomade if you have a sweet tooth)
1 slice of orange or orange peel.
1 lemon rind twist.
1 maraschino cherry.
ice cubes.

mix the whiskey, bitters, sour mix and orange in a glass.
pour over ice, add the soda, cherry and lemon rind (i tend to opt for a chunky slice of orange instead).
i serve mine up in a jam jar or a short tumbler.

if you want to make this drink more girl friendly, here are some ideas of things i have added, a dash of lavender, elderflower or vanilla syrup, an edible flower instead of the orange/lemon.

what are your favourite cocktails? let me know any amazing recipes you have!

sincerely, alexa