Double Helix Wine & Whiskey Lounge—a long-standing dining and drinking establishment located in the Town Square shopping-dining-entertainment destination on the southern edge of Las Vegas—is inviting guests to “Build Your Own Old Fashioned” by choosing their favorite spirit, bitters, and syrup, as well as garnishes and other finishes, starting at $16.
Spirit options run the gamut from usual suspects such as Bulleit bourbon or rye, Crown Royal rye, and Johnnie Walker Black, with a rum (Ron Zacapa 23) thrown in to mix things up. For $6 more, more refined patrons can upgrade to Bulleit Barrel Strength or George Dickel Bottled In Bond 13 Year.
Numerous flavors of bitters available include classics like Angostura and Peychaud’s, as well as orange, cherry bark vanilla, or chocolate. And beyond simple syrup, cocktail fans can choose from a number of other syrups, including Demerara , honey, barrel-aged maple, or thyme simple syrup.
Of course, that Old Fashioned isn’t complete without a garnish. All the classics are available–brandied cherry, orange swath, lemon swath—as well as nontraditional options such as a cinnamon stick, or for a $2 upgrade, bacon (but please don’t do this to your Old Fashioned; it’s not a Bloody Mary, after all). Double Helix is also offering a Talisker Scotch rinse as well as the option to have the cocktail smoked (we always go for the smoked Old Fashioned).
However, we take mild offense to a “large ice cube” being offered as an optional 75-cents upgrade. A single, large ice cube should be standard for a high-quality Old Fashioned—especially one that could cost you $20-plus after upgrades. But Vegas, baby, right?
All that said, if you’re not feeling all that creative, the house Old Fashioned (order it “Helix style”) sticks to a trusted recipe, featuring Bulleit bourbon, Angostura and orange bitters, Demerara syrup, and an orange swath. Aside from adding some smoke, that’s probably how we’d order it anyway.
Header photo courtesy of Double Helix.