Place the sugar in an Old Fashioned glass and douse with the bitters; add a few drops of water, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the whiskey and give a few good stirs to further dissolve the sugar, then add a couple of large ice cubes. Stir a few times to chill.
Garnish, if you like, with a slice of orange and a cherry, though it’s perfectly fine to skip a garnish. If you’re accustomed to topping it with soda, at least give it a chance once without; your father brought you up to be open-minded.
