Let’s be honest-making a great Old Fashioned starts long before you add the bourbon. It starts with the sugar. For years, I just grabbed whatever white cube was in the pantry, but then a bartender friend schooled me. The right sugar cube doesn’t just sweeten; it builds the foundation of the entire drink, adding layers of caramel, vanilla, or even citrus that white sugar can’t touch.
After testing a ton of options (and making more than a few cocktails in the process), I realized not all cubes are created equal. Some dissolve into a silky syrup instantly, while others leave you muddling forever. Some taste like pure, nuanced sweetness, and others… well, they just taste sweet. This guide is the result of that exploration, cutting through the hype to find the sugar cubes that truly elevate your home bartending.
Best Sugar Cubes for Old Fashioned – 2025 Reviews
La Perruche Pure Cane Brown Sugar Cubes – Caramel-Vanilla Infused for Cocktails
These aren’t just sugar cubes; they’re a flavor experience. The warm amber cubes have a distinct aroma of caramel and bourbon vanilla that melds perfectly with whiskey. The rough-cut design means they dissolve partially, leaving delightful crystals to savor. It’s the cube I keep coming back to for a truly classic, elevated Old Fashioned.
In The Raw Turbinado Cane Sugar Cubes – All-Natural Sweetener
For a pure, unbleached sugar cube that delivers fantastic quality without the premium price tag, this is it. The golden turbinado sugar retains its natural molasses, giving your Old Fashioned a deeper, more rounded sweetness than white sugar. It’s a no-nonsense, reliable cube that works beautifully.
Gilway Demerara Sugar Cubes – Rich Caramel Flavor
Demerara sugar is a classic choice for cocktails, and Gilway’s cubes are a premium example. They offer a distinctive caramel flavor and a beautiful golden color that makes any drink look more inviting. Coming in a pack of two, they’re a great option for serious home bartenders or for gifting.
India Tree Brown Sugar Cubes – Fair Trade & Unrefined
These unrefined brown sugar cubes from Mauritius offer a complex, minimally processed sweetness. Fair Trade and Non-GMO certified, they are an ethical choice that doesn’t compromise on taste. The flavor is deep and earthy, perfect for adding a robust character to your Old Fashioned.
Day Off Equals Old Fashioned Mix Cubes – Pre-Infused with Orange & Spice
This is the ultimate shortcut. Each cube is pre-infused with orange and aromatic spices like clove and cinnamon, designed specifically for an Old Fashioned. You just muddle one with bitters, add your spirit, and you’re done-no need for a separate orange peel or complex syrup.
India Tree White Sugar Cubes – Classic Rough-Cut
For purists who prefer a clean, classic sweetness, these white sugar cubes are a premium choice. The European-style rough-cut makes them elegant for presentation, and they dissolve cleanly without altering the core flavors of your whiskey and bitters.
Sadaf Pure Cane Sugar Cubes – Versatile Persian-Style
A straightforward, no-frills cube made from pure cane sugar. These are a versatile and reliable option, great for sweetening tea, baking, or using in cocktails. They offer a simple, honest sweetness.
Bear Necessities Orange Infused Sugar Cubes – Citrus Twist
These handcrafted cubes are infused with natural orange flavor, aiming to add a bright citrus note to your Old Fashioned or other beverages. They’re a creative option for adding a twist to the classic recipe.
Our Testing Process: Why These Rankings Are Different
You’ve probably seen a dozen lists that just parrot Amazon star ratings. We do things differently. For this guide, we started with over 10 popular sugar cube products and consolidated them down to 8 distinct, non-duplicate options to compare fairly. We didn’t just read the marketing-we focused on how they actually perform in a glass.
Our scoring is a 70/30 split. Seventy percent is based on real-world performance: how well the cube’s flavor matches an Old Fashioned (25%), what real users consistently say (20%), overall value (15%), and how complete the product information is (10%). The remaining thirty percent rewards genuine innovation and differentiation, like unique infusions or ethical sourcing.
Take our top pick, the La Perruche Brown Sugar Cubes, which scored a 9.5 for its unbeatable caramel-vanilla flavor and cocktail-specific design. Compare that to our excellent 9.0-rated In The Raw Turbinado Cubes. That half-point difference represents the trade-off between La Perruche’s aromatic complexity and In The Raw’s outstanding, budget-friendly purity.
Scores of 9.0 to 10.0 are ‘Exceptional’ or ‘Excellent’-products we’d confidently recommend. An 8.0 to 8.9 is ‘Very Good’ or ‘Good,’ meaning they work well but might have a trade-off like a simpler flavor profile. This method ensures we highlight true performance, not just popularity.
Complete Buyer's Guide: How to Choose Sugar Cubes for Old Fashioned Cocktails
1. Why the Sugar Cube Matters More Than You Think
Think of the sugar cube as the first ingredient in your Old Fashioned. It’s not just a sweetener; it’s a flavor carrier and textural component. A white cube provides clean sweetness, but a demerara or brown sugar cube adds notes of caramel, toffee, or molasses that weave into the whiskey and bitters, creating a much more complex and satisfying drink. The right cube can turn a good cocktail into a great one.
2. Demerara vs. Brown vs. Turbinado vs. White
Demerara Sugar: These golden cubes have large, crunchy crystals and a distinct, rich caramel flavor. They dissolve relatively slowly, which is perfect for muddling and building flavor. A classic choice for many bartenders.
Brown Sugar Cubes: Often made from unrefined or partially refined sugar, they retain molasses. This gives a deeper, warmer sweetness with hints of vanilla or even a slight bitterness. Excellent for adding depth.
Turbinado Sugar: Very similar to demerara-it’s raw cane sugar with a light molasses flavor. It’s often a bit less expensive and provides a great, natural-tasting sweetness. In The Raw is a prime example.
White Sugar Cubes: The neutral option. They sweeten without adding any additional flavor, letting the whiskey and bitters take center stage. Choose this if you’re a purist or if your whiskey is already very flavorful.
3. The Infused Cube Shortcut: Genius or Gimmick?
Products like Day Off Equals and Bear Necessities offer cubes pre-mixed with flavors like orange and spice. The big pro is incredible convenience and consistency-you get the same taste every time without needing fresh citrus or a separate syrup. The potential con is a lack of customization and, in some cases, artificial or weak flavoring. They’re best for quick, reliable cocktails or for beginners.
4. Dissolve Rate and Muddling: What to Expect
Not all cubes melt the same. Rough-cut, artisanal cubes (like La Perruche or India Tree) are designed to partially dissolve, leaving pleasant crunchy bits for texture. Standard pressed cubes dissolve more completely. If you hate muddling, look for cubes that are noted for dissolving quickly. For an Old Fashioned, a bit of muddling is traditional and helps release the oils from your bitters and any citrus peel.
5. Ethical and Dietary Considerations
More brands are focusing on responsible sourcing. Look for certifications like Fair Trade (India Tree) or Non-GMO Project Verified (In The Raw, India Tree) if supporting ethical farming is important to you. Many cubes are also naturally vegan, gluten-free, and kosher, but always check the label if you have specific dietary needs.
6. Presentation and Storage
If you’re serving guests, presentation counts. Rough-cut cubes in a glass jar (India Tree) or a classic French box (La Perruche) look elegant on a bar cart. For storage, resealable containers are king to prevent cubes from drying out or absorbing moisture. A simple airtight jar will keep any boxed cubes fresh for longer.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I use regular white sugar cubes for an Old Fashioned?
Absolutely, you can. A traditional Old Fashioned was originally made with white sugar. It will provide the necessary sweetness. However, using a demerara or brown sugar cube will add layers of caramel and molasses flavor that most people find more interesting and complementary to the whiskey. It’s an easy upgrade that makes a big difference.
2. What's the difference between a sugar cube and simple syrup?
Simple syrup is sugar already dissolved in water. It incorporates instantly and evenly into a cold drink. A sugar cube requires muddling to dissolve, which is part of the traditional ritual of making an Old Fashioned. The muddling process also helps release the oils from your bitters and any citrus peel, integrating the flavors more thoroughly. Cubes offer more control over sweetness and add a textural element.
3. How do I muddle a sugar cube properly?
Place the sugar cube in the bottom of your Old Fashioned glass. Add 2-3 dashes of aromatic bitters directly onto the cube. Using a muddler, gently press and twist the cube until it breaks down into a coarse paste. Don’t aggressively pound it into dust-you’re not trying to pulverize it, just to dissolve it. Then add a small splash of water or soda water to help it fully dissolve into a syrup before adding your whiskey and ice.
4. Are infused sugar cubes worth it?
They can be, depending on your goals. If you value speed, convenience, and guaranteed consistency (like the Day Off Equals cubes), they’re a fantastic shortcut. They eliminate the need for fresh citrus or making flavored syrups. If you enjoy the craft of building a cocktail from individual, fresh components, you might prefer the control of using a plain sugar cube and your own orange peel.
5. Why are some sugar cubes so hard to dissolve?
It often comes down to how they’re made. Rough-cut or artisanal cubes are less densely packed than machine-pressed white cubes, which can make them seem harder but actually allows for a more interesting, partial dissolution. If a cube is very hard, try adding a few more drops of water or bitters during the muddling process to help it break down. Very old or stale cubes can also become overly hard.
Final Verdict
After all this tasting, the winner is clear: for a foolproof, incredibly flavorful Old Fashioned that impresses every time, you can’t beat the La Perruche Pure Cane Brown Sugar Cubes. Their built-in caramel and vanilla notes are a game-changer. But if you’re watching your budget, the In The Raw Turbinado Cubes deliver phenomenal natural sweetness and value. Whether you choose the complexity of demerara, the convenience of an infused cube, or the purity of white sugar, upgrading your sugar is the simplest way to transform your home cocktail craft. Now, go make a great drink.
