Benton’s Old Fashioned vs. Old Fashioned

The difference, by the numbers

Both have bourbon and Angostura bitters. Only the Benton’s Old Fashioned has maple syrup; only the Old Fashioned has sugar and water. In parts, a Benton’s Old Fashioned is 8 whiskey and 1 maple syrup; an Old Fashioned is 7 whiskey and 1 sugar. By volume, the Benton’s Old Fashioned is 89% spirit and 11% syrup and sugar; the Old Fashioned is 84% spirit, 12% syrup and sugar and 4% mixer and juice. That makes them close cousins on the ratio map.

The Old Fashioned is the stronger drink in the glass (32.9% ABV against 26.0%), but the Benton’s Old Fashioned is the bigger drink, so it holds more alcohol (1.56 standard drinks against 1.20). The Benton’s Old Fashioned has more calories (about 179 against 133) and more sugar (6.0 g against 4.0 g). Both are served in a rocks glass; the Benton’s Old Fashioned is stirred, the Old Fashioned built.