Welcome. Let's Make the Perfect Cocktail.

Thank you for bringing a bottle of our Frankie's Old Fashioned Syrup into your home. You've just acquired the secret to what we believe is a truly perfect cocktail.

I'm Matt, the co-founder and sommelier at Frankie's. I'm obsessed with the details that elevate a good drink into a great one. The Old Fashioned is a simple drink on paper, but it's incredibly easy to get wrong. A great one is a ritual. It's about balance, temperature, dilution, and texture.

We've bottled the hardest parts of that ritual for you.

The Foundation: Why This Syrup is Different

Before we build the drink, you should know what's in your hands. This isn't just sugar water. It's a complete cocktail foundation, built on three principles:

1. Flavor Depth: We use rich demerara sugar, infused with deep notes of tart cherry and bright, aromatic orange. It’s a complex, layered sweetness that you can't get from a simple sugar cube.

2. Perfect Balance: We've already added the perfect amount of aromatic bitters directly into the syrup, ensuring a consistently balanced cocktail every time.

3. Luxurious Texture: The real secret is the rich simplicity. This classic, old-school technique gives the syrup a silky, velvety weight on the palate. It makes the cocktail feel more substantial and beautifully integrated.

The Ritual: The Frankie's Old Fashioned

This recipe is all about precision and respecting the craft.

The Build:

• 2 oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey

• 1/2 oz Frankie's Old Fashioned Syrup

The Execution:

1. Combine: Add the whiskey and Frankie's syrup to a mixing glass filled with plenty of good, hard ice.

2. The Stir: This is where the magic happens. Stir continuously with a bar spoon for 20-30 seconds. The goal is to perfectly chill and dilute the drink, smoothing its edges. The outside of the glass should be frosty to the touch.

3. The Strain: Strain the mixture into a rocks glass over a single, large ice cube. A large cube melts more slowly, ensuring your drink stays perfect from the first sip to the last.

4. The Garnish: Take a wide orange peel, hold it skin-side-down over the glass, and give it a firm twist. This expresses the fragrant citrus oils over the surface of the drink. Rub the peel around the rim of the glass, then drop it in.

A Sommelier's Code for Perfection

• Stir, Don't Shake: You stir a spirit-only cocktail like an Old Fashioned to maintain its silky clarity and texture. Shaking makes it cloudy and over-aerated, a cardinal sin for this drink.

• The Ice Matters: Use the biggest, clearest ice cube you can for serving. It's both an aesthetic choice and a practical one that controls dilution.

• The Garnish is Not Optional: The aromatic oils from the orange peel are a fundamental ingredient, not just a decoration. It's the first thing you smell, and it sets the stage for the first sip, transforming the entire experience.

The Spirit of the Drink: Choosing Your Whiskey

The whiskey you choose is the soul of your cocktail. Here's a simple guide:

• For a Bolder, Spicier Old Fashioned: Choose a Rye Whiskey. The peppery, spicy backbone beautifully complements the sweetness of the syrup.

• For a Smoother, Richer Old Fashioned: Choose a Bourbon. The notes of vanilla and caramel in bourbon create an incredibly comforting and classic version of the drink.

We'd love to see your creations! If you share on social media, tag us @frankiesprovisions. Thank you for bringing a piece of our craft into your home.

Cheers,

Matt & Tina
Co-Founders, Frankie's Provisions & Bottle Shop