What's the best whiskey for an Old Fashioned?

Use a 100-proof or higher bourbon or rye that can stand up to dilution — Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Rittenhouse Rye, or Old Overholt Bonded are popular bartender picks. Use what you'd drink straight.

The Old Fashioned is whiskey-forward, so the whiskey defines the drink. Two rules: (1) Use something you'd drink neat. The Old Fashioned does not hide flaws — if the whiskey tastes harsh straight, it tastes harsh in the glass. (2) Use 100 proof or higher when possible. The drink dilutes meaningfully from the sugar muddle, ice melt, and stir; an 80-proof spirit ends up tasting thin in the glass. Bartender favorites by use case: Buffalo Trace ($30, soft and easy) for newcomers; Wild Turkey 101 ($35, rich and spicy) for everyday; Rittenhouse Rye 100 ($25, sharp and dry) for the classic spec; Old Overholt Bonded 100 ($30, the historical rye choice). Higher-end picks: Knob Creek Single Barrel, Four Roses Single Barrel, Sazerac Rye Bonded. Skip the bottled-in-bond marketing and pay attention to proof and your own palate preference for sweetness versus spice.