Don Draper is most closely associated with the Old Fashioned. The recipe credited to The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook is a fruit-muddled version made with orange, maraschino cherry, sugar, bitters, soda water and rye or bourbon—not a universal template for every Old Fashioned. The show’s other notable drinks range from Peggy Olson’s Manhattan and Sidecar to Roger Sterling’s vodka martinis and Gibson.
How to make Don Draper’s Old Fashioned
KCRW’s Jan. 5, 2012 recipe, credited to the 2011 Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook and attributed there to New York’s Grand Central Oyster Bar, calls for muddling fruit, sugar and bitters before adding whiskey. The recipe permits rye or bourbon; its accompanying note says rye was originally used.
Ingredients
- 1 orange slice
- 1 maraschino cherry
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- A few drops of Angostura bitters
- A splash of soda water for muddling, plus enough to wet the cherry and dissolve the sugar
- 2½ ounces rye or bourbon
Method
- In a mixing glass, muddle the orange slice, cherry, sugar, bitters and a little soda water until the fruit breaks up and releases its flavor.
- Add enough soda water to wet the cherry and dissolve the sugar.
- Add the whiskey. Serve over rocks if desired; the recipe does not require a particular glass or specify an ice format.
The recipe note reports that the Oyster Bar was returning to rye and says Don would likely choose Canadian Club, a brand frequently seen in his office and home on the show. It also names Seagram’s V.O. and Crown Royal as popular in the 1960s. These are contextual details attached to this recipe, not rules for all Old Fashioneds. Read KCRW’s recipe and notes.
Other ‘Mad Men’ cocktails at a glance
Liquor.com’s guide, updated Feb. 23, 2022, highlights seven drinks and their character or scene associations. Publishers Weekly’s Mar. 19, 2012 coverage adds the Mai Tai and Sidecar. These are reported show associations, not a single official recipe collection for every drink.
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| Drink | Character or scene association | Base and profile | What the cited coverage establishes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Fashioned | Don Draper | Whiskey; sweetened and bittersweet, with fruit in the cookbook-attributed version | KCRW reproduces a recipe; Liquor.com identifies the character association. |
| Manhattan | Peggy drinks one with Don after her breakup with Mark in season four; Publishers Weekly also notes a Draper–Olson conversation at the Oak Bar in season four, episode seven. | Whiskey-based; typically sweet and aromatic, though the cited scene coverage does not specify a recipe. | Scene associations only; no formula is supplied in these reports. |
| Vodka Gimlet | Betty orders multiple ones after seeing Don with a date while dining with Henry Francis. | Vodka; tart and citrus-forward. | Liquor.com identifies the drink and scene, not a recipe. |
| Whiskey Sour | Season-four Playboy Club scene with Lane’s father, Lane and Don. | Whiskey; sour and sweet, commonly citrus-led. | Liquor.com identifies the scene, not a recipe. |
| Bloody Mary | Joan sips one while deciding what to do after learning she is pregnant. | Vodka; savory and often spiced. | Liquor.com identifies the drink and scene, not a recipe. |
| Gibson | Roger’s vodka preferences include a vodka Gibson. | Vodka; savory, traditionally garnished with a pickled onion. | Liquor.com identifies the drink, not a recipe. |
| Vodka Martini | Roger serves vodka Martinis when entertaining brand executives; his usual order is vodka on the rocks, identified as Stolichnaya. | Vodka; spirit-forward and typically stirred. | Liquor.com gives character context, not a recipe. |
| Mai Tai | Trader Vic’s Mai Tai is among the show-linked drinks named by Publishers Weekly. | Rum; generally tropical and citrusy. | Publishers Weekly identifies it, not a recipe. |
| Sidecar | Peggy Olson’s drink is described as a cognac and Cointreau Sidecar. | Cognac; citrus-led, with orange liqueur. | Publishers Weekly identifies the drink and components, not a full recipe. |
The flavor descriptions above are brief orientation, not claims that the cited entertainment coverage documents each drink’s exact ingredients or preparation. Liquor.com’s character and scene details are available in its ‘Mad Men’ cocktail guide; Publishers Weekly discusses the book and additional drinks in its cookbook coverage.
What the show’s drinks say about its characters
The drinks work as shorthand for different kinds of social performance: Don’s whiskey-centered Old Fashioned is the most durable association, while the reports connect Peggy to both a Manhattan and a Sidecar, Betty to vodka Gimlets, and Roger to vodka drinks served or ordered in distinct settings. Joan’s Bloody Mary and Lane’s Whiskey Sour appear in particular moments rather than as defining standing orders.
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That distinction matters when choosing a drink to recreate. For Don’s cocktail, there is a published formula to follow. For most of the other entries, the cited coverage establishes a character or scene connection, but not an authoritative show-specific recipe. A familiar modern recipe may be a reasonable way to make one, but it should not be presented as the exact drink shown on screen.
Did ‘Mad Men’ revive the Old Fashioned?
The show is part of a broader revival story, not proven to be its sole cause. Eater’s Aug. 19, 2015 cultural analysis describes renewed attention to classic cocktails alongside rising interest in bourbon and rye. Cookbook coauthor Peter Zheutlin told Eater, “The two things just came together,” referring to Mad Men and the concurrent whiskey resurgence. That is an attributed interpretation, not a measured estimate of the show’s effect on sales or orders.
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Eater also quotes The Art of American Whiskey author Noah Rothbaum: “drinkability is a large factor in the cocktails that do and don’t make it into popular culture.” Rachel Speckan, City Winery’s wine education director and beverage director for City Winery Chicago, describes reputation as “a combination of how a beverage is marketed and the lifestyle of its real-life consumers.” Eater’s article offers cultural analysis, not a quantified causal finding.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What you need to make the featured drink
The cookbook-attributed Old Fashioned specifically calls for muddling, so a muddler is the directly relevant tool. A sturdy spoon or similar implement can help press the fruit if you do not have one, but the cited recipe itself names muddling rather than prescribing alternate equipment. The companion book is The Unofficial Mad Men Cookbook; Publishers Weekly reports that its authors researched episodes and consulted restaurants where possible. The publisher’s book listing describes the title and contents; availability may vary.
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