10 Best Bitters to Give Your Old-Fashioned a Boost

Angostura might be the most widely known brand of bitters around the world. It is a staple behind any bar and necessary for any home bartender.

On the nose, it's, obviously, incredibly aromatic and herbaceous. A bouquet of herbs, fruits, and spices shines through. When added to a drink, these same flavors shine and enhance all flavors, rich, biting, or sweet, to elevate the taste of any cocktail.

Regan's Orange Bitters are an astonishing feat. They deliver the herbaceous flavor that you would expect in bitters but with a wonderful orange citrus-forward package. I've gone back and forth about whether these are mostly bitters or mostly orange but it is such a perfectly balanced taste that I've yet to decide.

Their recipe is a blend of bitter orange extracts with cardamom, caraway, and coriander with subtle caramel to tie this package together effortlessly.

Usually found in a Sazerac or Viuex Carré, Peychaud's are more licorice and anise forward than other aromatic bitters. It sets itself apart with its tarter, fruit flavors, with rhubarb at the front and a sweet cherry candy weaving through.

There are herbaceous flavors, of course, clove and saffron mingling with orange zest, to create a solid bitter. It's sweeter than other aromatics, offering a juicy palate to round out the herbs.

If you want your next Old-Fashioned to be conversation-worthy, or at least spark a discussion, consider using Jack Rudy grapefruit bitters. The grapefruit flavor isn't lost in the bitters, rather, it's a clean and pronounced flavor with spices woven into it.

They're an elegant yet versatile bitter, that quickly dresses up an Old-Fashioned and takes it from average to juicy.

The beauty of bourbon and the Old-Fashioned is their ability to transform without effort. In the case of Hella Bitters, their smoked chili adds two distinct flavors to any Old-Fashioned: a smokey statement and a spicy sip. Transformation quickly achieved.

The recipe uses bitters that complement the rich flavors of the chili, adding a depth of flavor so unexpected but delightful that you may not return to ordinary aromatic bitters.

Having been around since the 1800s, Fee Brothers have perfected the art of bitters. Most noteworthy, however, might just be their Aztec chocolate flavor. It has all the richness of cocoa without any of the sweetness, thanks to the herbs and spices.

It both lightens up and lends a rich sweetness to any cocktail without actually adding any over-the-top sweetening or sugar. The cocoa flavors are the star of the show, the bitters an afterthought in the best of ways.

Before other bitters began spawning onto the scene, this recipe was the one to use. Bogart's Bitters could be, theoretically, traced back to the first-ever crafted bitters, appearing in print as early as 1862.

With a flavor profile of dark spice, rich cocoa coffee notes, and herbs, it skips the usual cardamom flavors typically found in bitters. This comes at a high cost, but the resulting taste is incapable of duplication. Today, the recipe remains true to the original, going so far as the mimic the labels on bottles from the early 1900s. Overall, these bitters make a genuine and old school Old-Fashioned.

Bitters are usually deep, rich, and warm, giving the feeling of winter or help to create a cocktail that's better fitting for cooler weather. However, Bittermens spins this classic flavor into a summer taste. A combination of citrus and chamomile at its heart, it doesn't stop there. It drives home the citrus flavors, over and over again, before a heavy dose of chamomile provides the signature flavor of cocktail bitters.

The resulting flavor of this unconventional recipe is a summer aroma that carries through to its flavor. It brightens the Old-Fashioned, offering a new twist on a winter or colder weather cocktail, making it into a tasty mid-summer drink.

Woodford Reserve Bitters have the added bonus of being produced by the Woodford distillery. They achieve their remarkable flavor by adding tart cherry flavors to herbaceous bitters.

With the gentle sweetness of cherry cutting through the traditional bitters flavors, it creates a soft sweet but spiced flavor. Made in the same barrels as their whiskey, it pairs well with any whiskeys or bourbons. And since it comes from Woodford, you know they put in the work to optimize a recipe for a bitter that emphasizes the depth of bourbons. And it delivers an incredible experience.

If you don't have a way to enjoy a smoked Old-Fashioned at home, this is the quickest and tastiest solution. Crude's bitters don't make you wonder if these are meant to have a smoked flavor, they demand the full attention of the cocktail, in fact.

There's an aroma of hardwood smoke, with the faintest spice and touch of salt, to keep things interesting. The salt may seem an unusual touch but truthfully, it would be amiss without it.