Tom Bullock’s life remains somewhat of a mystery outside of his work in the American bar scene. Bullock was born in 1872 in Louisville and was the son of two former slaves. In his adult life, he worked as a bartender at time when cocktail recipes weren’t at the level of quality as we know them today, often lacking the same professional standards.
Bullock wrote and published “The Ideal Bartender," the first ever cocktail book written by a black man. The book features 173 cocktail recipes of Bullock’s own making. We decided to try Tom Bullock’s Old Fashioned as it's served at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Louisville, a venue committed to preserving Bullock’s legacy.
Tom Bullock’s Old Fashioned
- 1 lump of ice
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 1 lump of sugar and dissolve in water
- 1.5 jiggers of bourbon whiskey
Twist a piece of lemon skin over the drink and drop it in. Stir well and serve.
