A well-made Old Fashioned is a thing of beauty. The drink is simple, but its flavor is complex and satisfying. The secret to a great Old Fashioned is in the syrup.

There are many different recipes for Old Fashioned syrup, but all of them share a few common ingredients. The syrup should be made with sugar, water, and bitters. Some recipes also call for a small amount of lemon juice.

The sugar and water are boiled together to create a …