Eli Manning's Twist on the Old-Fashioned Will Convert Cocktail Purists

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The Old-Fashioned goes back to the dawn of the cocktail and is a simple yet elegant mix of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. While some purists prefer straightforward whiskey cocktails—like the Manhattan and Sazerac—or just prefer to drink whiskey neat, we like to shake things up. Endless experimentation with the basic formula has led to countless versions of the drink.

One of our favorite new Old-Fashioned recipes comes from legendary New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, who adds brown sugar syrup and chicory pecan bitters to the cocktail. It's naturally the perfect drink for watching football. It only requires three ingredients (orange slice not included), so you can easily add it into your rotation at home. First order of business: Buy yourself a bold bourbon. We're partial to the newKnob Creek Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon, Eli Manning's Bold Pick: 2026 Batch.

I spoke to Manning about his collaboration with Knob Creek—how he helped select a limited-edition single barrel bourbon.

"I’m excited about the second batch of Bold Pick Bourbon," he says. "I feel the batch is a little bit fuller this year. I wanted to do a cask strengthwhiskey and have a fuller, warmer finish. We did a great job of doing that. Hey, if we’re doing something called Bold Pick, let’s make sure we’re making a bold bourbon."

Related: Eli Manning Reveals the 3 NFL Legends He’d Share His New Knob Creek Bourbon With

Eli Manning’s Game Day Old-Fashioned

Ingredients

• 2 oz Knob Creek Bourbon
• .25 oz Brown Sugar Syrup (store bought or recipe below)
• 3 dashes El Guapo Chicory Pecan Bitters
• Garnish: Orange slice
• Glass: Rocks 

For the Brown Sugar Syrup

• 2 parts dark brown sugar
• 1 part water

Directions

1. If making homemade brown sugar syrup, add both ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer to a clean container and store in the refrigerator.
2. Add the bourbon, syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass filled with ice.
3. Stir, and strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Garnish with an orange slice. 

Get Knob Creek Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon, Eli Manning's Bold Pick: 2026 Batch on the Men's Journal Spirits Shop Now!