speakeater.
Mixologist · 2007 · Manhattan

Oaxaca Old Fashioned.

Phil Ward took the Old Fashioned format and rebuilt it from scratch on agave instead of grain. The mezcal float at the end is the.

Spirit
Tequila and mezcal
Glass
Old Fashioned
ABV
~34%
Prep
3 min
Era
Mixologist
Quick answer

The Oaxaca Old Fashioned is a mixologist cocktail from Manhattan, 2007. Built on tequila and mezcal, served in a old fashioned, around 34% ABV. Phil Ward took the Old Fashioned format and rebuilt it from scratch on agave instead of grain. The mezcal float at the end is the signature.

Ingredients

What goes in a Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

Method

How do you make a Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

  1. Build all ingredients in a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
  2. Stir for 20 seconds.
  3. Light the orange peel briefly with a match while expressing the oils. Drop it in.
Pair it with dinner Carne asada with chimichurri or grilled corn. Grass-fed and grass-toned.
Bartender's notes

What should you know before making a Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

History

Where did the Oaxaca Old Fashioned come from?

Phil Ward took the Old Fashioned format and rebuilt it from scratch on agave instead of grain. The mezcal float at the end is the signature. It is the drink that made mezcal a category in American bars. Ward worked at Death & Co. when he built it; the bar was one of the first US accounts for many of the artisanal mezcal brands now widely distributed.

According to Phil Ward, Death & Co., Manhattan, 2007.

Variations

What cocktails are similar to a Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

Smoked Oaxaca
All mezcal, no tequila. A smokier version that doubles down.
Tepache Old Fashioned
Replace agave syrup with house-made tepache (fermented pineapple drink). A craft-bar variation.
FAQ

Common questions.

What is in an Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

An ounce and a half of reposado tequila, half an ounce of mezcal, a teaspoon of agave syrup, two dashes of Angostura bitters, and a flamed orange peel. Built in a rocks glass over a large ice cube.

Who invented the Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

Phil Ward at Death & Co. in Manhattan, in 2007. Ward also created the Final Ward in 2008.

How do you flame an orange peel for a cocktail?

Hold a fresh orange peel between your fingers, glossy side down, near a lit match or lighter. Squeeze the peel to express the oils through the flame. The oils ignite briefly, caramelize, and drop into the drink.

What tequila is best for an Oaxaca Old Fashioned?

A 100% agave reposado. Siembra Valles, Tapatío, or El Tesoro Reposado. Mass-market reposados (Patron, Don Julio) work but lack the character of small-batch.

Kyle Schulgen Founder, Speakeater
Builder of Speakeater, the cooking app for people tired of asking what's for dinner. Hand-transcribes pre-Prohibition cocktail manuscripts as a hobby, ships them in the app's cellar.
Last updated: 2026-05-02

Behind the kitchen, a back room.

5,904 cocktails live in Speakeater. Most of them sourced from public-domain bartender's manuals published before Prohibition. Photo your bar shelf, get a recipe back.

Save me a seat