I have a soft spot for an Old Fashioned.
It's one of those drinks that doesn't need to prove anything. Whiskey, bitters, sugar, orange. Do it properly and you have a cocktail that can carry an entire evening without needing to dress itself up.
The Proper's Smoked Old Fashioned certainly looks the part.
It arrived with a dehydrated orange slice and enough smoke to make it clear that somebody had put some thought into the presentation. It was a nice touch, and the drink itself was perfectly drinkable.
The problem was that it never really went beyond that.
It wasn't bad. It wasn't even close to bad. It just lacked the depth and balance I was hoping for.
The whiskey didn't quite have the presence I wanted, and the different elements never completely came together. There was nothing I disliked about the drink. I just didn't find myself thinking about it after the glass was empty.
And that's the difference between a good cocktail and a memorable one.
The Proper's Smoked Old Fashioned is good enough to order.
It just isn't the drink I'd tell someone they need to try.