How do you drink your Jack? On the rocks? Maybe with a splash of something?

Probably not muddled with the leaf of a medieval-sounding herb.

But that's exactly how Jack drank his.

To all those who assumed that Mr. Daniel drank his whiskey neat – chin up. Mr. Jack's go-to drink was buried in the archives. Until now.

The secret ingredient? Tansy.

Also known as Mugwort or Bitter Buttons in its day, tansy was used in medicines by the ancient Greeks and cultivated in monastery gardens throughout the Middle Ages.

Now it's creeping back into cocktails wherever bartenders are drawn to its blooming, sharp flavor – akin to wintergreen. Which just happens to complement smooth, charcoal-mellowed whiskey.

Jack was always one to do things his way. Down to his square bottle. His unique recipe is every bit as individual, and calls for a hand-selected, one-of-a-kind whiskey. Try it with Single Barrel, and drink like Jack did.

JACK’S HOME RECIPE:
4 tansy leaves
1 sugar cube
2 ice cubes
2 ounces Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel
A splash of water

Muddle 2-3 tansy leaves with a couple of dashes of sugar (to taste) in the bottom of a rocks glass. Pour in Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel over two rocks. Add a splash of water. Garnish with an unbroken tansy leaf.

Jack’s muddled herb recipe may have been a precursor to many classic cocktails. Bartender Eric "E.T." Tecosky suggests swapping tansy-based bitters for Angostura for a refreshing twist on the Old Fashioned.

THE OLD FASHIONED:
1 1/2 oz. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel
Sugar cube
4 dashes Angostura bitters (or substitute tansy-infused bitters)
Orange peel
Dash of water

Add sugar, water and bitters to an old-fashioned glass. Dissolve sugar and add orange peel, orange side up. Gently press peel to release oils. Add Jack Single Barrel and ice and stir. Garnish with a fresh orange peel or cherry.

Find more cocktails, stories and whiskey notes at The Single Barrel Standard.