While it's easy to make an Old Fashioned, RoadHaus Mobile Cocktails owner Justin Lavenue suggests avoiding a few common potholes and pitfalls that can hold home bartenders back.

The first mistake is overcomplicating the drink by adding a lot of ingredients, mixing too many types

of bitters, or adding too much sugar, which changes the profile of the drink.

Home bartenders should also ensure that the whiskey or bourbon is the star of the drink. Anything else you add should be there to bring out the liquor's flavor, not overpower it.

Ignoring the drink's dilution is another mistake. Your ice should properly chill and dilute the drink so that you don't end up with a cocktail that's too harsh or too warm.

If you serve the drink over the nugget ice from your freezer, it may dilute the drink too quickly. "A large, single ice cube or sphere is best

for slow dilution," Lavenue said.