The Old Fashioned cocktail is as iconic as it is delicious. Deceptively simple, an Old Fashioned is made up of only whiskey, sugar and bitters – about as stripped down as a cocktail can be. But as with many areas of life, simple does not necessarily mean easy.

Shaking or stirring a cocktail adds water. And no one likes their drinks “watered down” – it’s probably one of the few traits a cocktail could have that is universally regarded as disappointing. And yet, water is an essential cocktail ingredient.