This drink is a direct descendant of the Old Fashioned, which early on was considered a morning drink, originally referred to as a “whisky cocktail.” Considered the first classic cocktail, the name change occurred when bartenders tried to improve on the original with absinthe, orange liqueurs and other ingredients. This led customers to request the “old fashioned” version. The renaming is said to have occurred at the Pendennis Club in Louisville, where the Old Fashioned remains the city’s official cocktail. Adding orange and cherry to the equation happened during Prohibition, presumably as a way of masking the whisky smell. For this reason, some purists forego the fruit.