Bartesian^® Old Fashioned Pod Review

Tasted firsthand on a Bartesian^® Professional. The Old Fashioned is a single-spirit whiskey capsule and is compatible with the Bartesian Duet, Premium, and Professional.

I came into this one honestly: I usually drink my whiskey neat, I lean toward scotch or rye over bourbon, and this was my first Old Fashioned ever. I’d never even ordered one at a bar. So consider this the take of a curious owner coming to it with completely fresh eyes.

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What Is the Bartesian Old Fashioned Pod?

The Old Fashioned is one of Bartesian’s classic whiskey capsules, a spirit-forward cocktail that balances bitter and sweet, with notes of oak and orange citrus. Whiskey is the base spirit, which you supply yourself; the capsule itself contains no alcohol. You pour your own whiskey into the machine’s bottle, drop in the pod, choose a strength, and the machine does the rest.

How I Tasted It

Honest upfront: I’m not a bourbon guy. I usually drink my whiskey neat, and when I do I reach for scotch or rye, and bourbon isn’t my thing. On top of that, this was my first Old Fashioned ever, so I came to it with fresh eyes and no fixed idea of how it “should” taste.

For the spirit I used Woodford Reserve. Most of my bourbon is bought for sipping, so this was the closest thing I had to an everyday pour. I ran the pod on the Regular setting and served it over ice in a heavy rocks glass, garnished with orange peel and maraschino cherries.

What Does the Bartesian Old Fashioned Taste Like?

Bartesian bills this as spirit-forward, with oak and orange citrus. Coming from neat scotch, I found it drank softer and milder than I expected, less of a punch than sipping whiskey straight, which for an easy cocktail I count as a plus. The color is a beautiful golden-brown that looks great alongside the orange and cherry. The first sips had a bit of a whiskey bite, but it mellowed out the deeper I got into the glass, and the citrus came forward as I went. It’s not too sweet.

What Whiskey and Setting Should You Use?

I used Woodford Reserve, a solid mid-range bourbon. Honestly, it may not be the ideal match for this pod. Next time I want to try a softer, wheated bourbon like Maker’s Mark to see if it rounds the drink out. The base spirit is whiskey, so use whatever you like; bourbon keeps it classic, while a rye would push it spicier.

On strength, I used Regular, which pours about 2 oz of spirit; Strong pushes it toward 3.4 oz if you want it more spirit-forward. On glassware, Bartesian recommends a lowball (Old Fashioned) glass; I served mine over ice in a heavy rocks glass. Use whatever you have on hand.

Who Should Try the Old Fashioned Pod?

One honest note on when I’d drink it. As a neat-scotch guy, a heavy, spirit-forward pour fits a dark, cigar-bar kind of evening for me. This drinks lighter than that, so I’d actually reach for it on a warm day, or somewhere relaxed, when I want a whiskey note without sipping it straight. It fills that gap nicely.

Final Verdict

Rating: 6 / 10. Here’s the honest part. I know the Old Fashioned is one of the most popular, top-rated pods out there, so a 6 might surprise some people. Two things keep me humble about that score. First, this was my first Old Fashioned, so I don’t have another version to measure it against yet. Second, my bourbon choice (Woodford Reserve, a mid-range pick) may not have been the best match; a softer, wheated bourbon like Maker’s Mark could round it out. It’s a good drink and I enjoyed it, and for the right moment it hits the spot. A different bourbon down the road might move the score, but for a first taste, a 6 feels honest.

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Prefer to watch instead of read? Here's the full walkthrough. The same tasting notes, the whiskey and setting I used, who it's for, and the verdict, in video form.

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