How to Make a Smoked Old Fashioned (With or Without a Smoker)

If you’ve heard of the smoked old fashioned, but have no idea how to make one, or how to make smoked cocktails in general, well here is your primer on all things GRILLED and SMOKED COCKTAILS! Here is a full tutorial for making a smoked old fashioned with cedar planks!

Why Smoke A Cocktail?

First of all, why smoke a cocktail? The answer is that adding smoke flavor adds a layer of complexity to any drink. Bourbon, which must be 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels is the perfect spirit for infusing with smoke flavor.

Bourbon: the perfect medium for smoke flavor

Adding smoke flavor to bourbon amplifies it’s already slightly sweet flavor, which makes it an awesome complement to grilled meats and BBQ, am I right? This technique works on any spirit by the way so explore all the possibilities for smoke flavor! Some spirits, like mescal, are naturally smokey and lend themselves to being a great medium for adding smoke flavor. 

Ingredients

2 oz good quality bourbon
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters, or to taste
• 1 large segment orange peel
• 1 teaspoon simple syrup OR maple syrup – (simple syrup is a 1/1 ration sugar/water. Cook with rosemary sprig to infuse flavor into the syrup. Can be stored in the refrigerator for a week for making cocktails). Maple syrup is a great alternative to simple syrup and compliments the flavor of the bourbon.
• 1 maraschino cherry

Tools Needed:

Depending on how you want to add smoke to your bourbon, you can use any of these tools to accomplish smoke flavor:

Without a Smoker:

Smoking Gun

OR

Cedar Plank and Wood Chips

With Smoker:

• Smoker
• Smoker Tube 

Optional

• Ice Cube Trays

Instructions

In a decanter or large glass pitcher, add the bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters. Next, turn on your smoking gun and infuse the pitcher with smoke for 1-2 minutes; close the container with a piece of saran wrap so the smoke is trapped into the pitcher. Swirl the bourbon around and then pour it into a old fashioned glass filled with ice. Take the orange peel and swirl around the rim of the glass and then add to the drink. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!

Alternately, you can use a cedar plank with wood chips to create smoke and then trap the smoke into a mason jar. From there, add your bourbon to the jar and let the smoke infuse into the bourbon and follow the remaining recipe directions above.