Smoked Old Fashioned
This Smoked Old Fashioned layers classic bourbon, bitters, and a touch of sweetness with aromatic wood smoke for a bar-worthy cocktail at home. Smooth, gently sweet, and richly smoky—like a tiny bourbon campfire in a glass.
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon mid-range, sipping quality (e.g., Bulleit, Woodford Reserve, Four Roses Small Batch)
- 1 cube sugar or 1/2 tsp rich simple syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
- 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters optional, for a bright citrus lift
- 1 large clear ice cube or ice sphere
- 1 piece orange peel 2–3 inches long, from a fresh, firm orange
- 1 Luxardo cherry or good-quality cocktail cherry optional but recommended
- 1 small handful smoking wood chips or smoking pellets cherry, apple, oak, pecan, or hickory; use food-safe smoking chips
- water few drops, if using a sugar cube, to help dissolve
- extra orange peel optional, can be flamed for more aroma and flair
- pinch Demerara sugar optional, for sprinkling on orange peel before flaming
Instructions
- Place your wood chips in the bowl or chamber of your handheld smoker, smoke top, or smoking gun. Keep your old fashioned glass nearby and make sure it’s clean and dry. If you’re using a dome or cloche, have that ready as well.1 small handful smoking wood chips or smoking pellets
- Add the sugar cube (or 1/2 teaspoon rich simple syrup) to the bottom of an old fashioned glass. If using a sugar cube, splash in a few drops of water—just enough to help it dissolve.1 cube sugar, water
- Add 2–3 dashes Angostura bitters and the optional dash of orange bitters over the sugar. Gently muddle until the sugar is mostly dissolved and forms a syrupy base. Use firm but gentle pressure; you don’t need to pound it.2-3 dashes Angostura bitters, 1 dash orange bitters
- Pour in the 2 oz of bourbon. Add a few small ice cubes (not your large cube yet) and stir for 20–30 seconds to chill and lightly dilute the drink. This opens up the flavors of the bourbon.2 oz bourbon
- Cut a strip of orange peel using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, avoiding too much white pith. Hold the peel over the glass and gently twist to express the oils onto the surface of the drink. Rub the outer side of the peel around the rim of the glass, then set the peel aside for garnish.1 piece orange peel
- If the small ice has melted significantly, you can remove it for a cleaner look. Add your large clear ice cube or ice sphere to the glass to chill the drink without excessive dilution.1 large clear ice cube or ice sphere
- Add the expressed orange peel to the glass and a Luxardo cherry or good-quality cocktail cherry. Drop the cherry in or skewer it. The cherry adds a rich, dark fruit note that pairs beautifully with the smoke.1 piece orange peel, 1 Luxardo cherry or good-quality cocktail cherry
- Place your smoke top or smoker attachment on top of the glass. Add a pinch of wood chips and ignite according to your smoker’s instructions. Let the smoke fill the glass for 20–40 seconds, then cover loosely with a coaster or lid to trap the smoke for another 15–30 seconds.1 small handful smoking wood chips or smoking pellets
- If you don’t have a dedicated smoking kit, place a small heat-safe dish with smoldering wood chips on a tray. Set the prepared drink next to it and cover both the drink and the dish with a large bowl or glass dome. Let the smoke surround the glass for 1–2 minutes. Gently remove the dome and discard the chips safely.1 small handful smoking wood chips or smoking pellets
- Remove any covers, let the remaining smoke waft gracefully, and serve immediately. Sip slowly and notice how the first few sips are smokier and more intense, then mellow as the drink opens up.
Notes
TIMING & SERVINGS: Yield: 1 Smoked Old Fashioned. Prep time: 5–8 minutes depending on smoking method. Smoking time: about 1–2 minutes. Total time: about 10 minutes.
VARIATIONS:
- Smoked Maple Old Fashioned: Swap sugar for 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup and use pecan or oak wood chips.
- Smoked Rye Old Fashioned: Use rye whiskey instead of bourbon for a spicier, drier profile.
- Smoked Orange & Vanilla Old Fashioned: Add 1–2 drops real vanilla extract and use orange bitters.
- Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned: Muddle one Luxardo cherry with the sugar and bitters, then use cherry wood chips.
- Smoked Coffee Old Fashioned: Add 1/4 oz cold brew concentrate and smoke with oak chips.
- Lightly Smoked Old Fashioned: Expose the drink to smoke for only 10–15 seconds. MAKE-AHEAD & STORAGE:
- Make-ahead base: Stir together bourbon, sugar (or simple syrup), and bitters in a small pitcher several hours ahead and chill. Do not add ice. At serving time, pour over ice, garnish, and smoke each glass.
- Short-term storage: The unsmoked old fashioned base can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Stir before using.
- Leftover smoked cocktail: Store in a covered jar in the fridge and drink within 24 hours. Smoke aroma fades but flavor remains pleasant.
- If ice melts and you’re not ready to drink, strain into a clean glass and re-ice when ready. TIPS:
- Don’t oversmoke: Too much or too-hot smoke can taste bitter or ashy. Aim for gentle smoldering, not a blaze.
- Choose a mid-shelf bourbon with caramel and vanilla notes; avoid very cheap or overly hot, high-proof bottles.
- Large clear ice slows dilution and keeps the drink cold and visually appealing.
- Adjust sweetness: Use less sugar if the drink tastes too sweet, or stir longer with ice if it tastes too hot/boozy.
- Always use food-safe wood chips (e.g., cherry, apple, oak, pecan, hickory) from reputable brands. FAQ HIGHLIGHTS:
- You don’t need a special smoker; a simple DIY dome over smoldering chips works.
- Cherry and apple wood give smooth, slightly sweet smoke; oak is classic and stronger; hickory is robust.
- For a non-alcoholic version, use a zero-proof whiskey alternative, simple syrup, and (if needed) alcohol-free bitters, then smoke as usual.
- If your cocktail tastes bitter or ashy, reduce smoke time, use gentler wood, and ensure the chips smolder instead of burning vigorously.
- Smoked Maple Old Fashioned: Swap sugar for 1/2 tsp pure maple syrup and use pecan or oak wood chips.
- Smoked Rye Old Fashioned: Use rye whiskey instead of bourbon for a spicier, drier profile.
- Smoked Orange & Vanilla Old Fashioned: Add 1–2 drops real vanilla extract and use orange bitters.
- Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned: Muddle one Luxardo cherry with the sugar and bitters, then use cherry wood chips.
- Smoked Coffee Old Fashioned: Add 1/4 oz cold brew concentrate and smoke with oak chips.
- Lightly Smoked Old Fashioned: Expose the drink to smoke for only 10–15 seconds. MAKE-AHEAD & STORAGE:
- Make-ahead base: Stir together bourbon, sugar (or simple syrup), and bitters in a small pitcher several hours ahead and chill. Do not add ice. At serving time, pour over ice, garnish, and smoke each glass.
- Short-term storage: The unsmoked old fashioned base can be refrigerated up to 24 hours. Stir before using.
- Leftover smoked cocktail: Store in a covered jar in the fridge and drink within 24 hours. Smoke aroma fades but flavor remains pleasant.
- If ice melts and you’re not ready to drink, strain into a clean glass and re-ice when ready. TIPS:
- Don’t oversmoke: Too much or too-hot smoke can taste bitter or ashy. Aim for gentle smoldering, not a blaze.
- Choose a mid-shelf bourbon with caramel and vanilla notes; avoid very cheap or overly hot, high-proof bottles.
- Large clear ice slows dilution and keeps the drink cold and visually appealing.
- Adjust sweetness: Use less sugar if the drink tastes too sweet, or stir longer with ice if it tastes too hot/boozy.
- Always use food-safe wood chips (e.g., cherry, apple, oak, pecan, hickory) from reputable brands. FAQ HIGHLIGHTS:
- You don’t need a special smoker; a simple DIY dome over smoldering chips works.
- Cherry and apple wood give smooth, slightly sweet smoke; oak is classic and stronger; hickory is robust.
- For a non-alcoholic version, use a zero-proof whiskey alternative, simple syrup, and (if needed) alcohol-free bitters, then smoke as usual.
- If your cocktail tastes bitter or ashy, reduce smoke time, use gentler wood, and ensure the chips smolder instead of burning vigorously.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal
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