If you’re looking to elevate your cocktail game, look no further than our smoked old fashioned recipe.
An old fashioned never goes out of style, but adding a kiss of smoke brings a fun twist to this classic cocktail.
With our helpful tips, be prepared to graduate to mixologist level: expert.
Whether it’s a smoked cocktail for date nights at home or the signature cocktail for your next party, this smoked old fashioned is a modern twist that only takes a couple of minutes when making the drink.
You can find this recipe along with other incredible recipes in our round up of 35 Amazing Whiskey Christmas Cocktails.
Why Add Smoke to your Old Fashioned?
An at-home smoking machine adds three important dimensions to your old fashioned cocktail.
- It creates a whimsical show for your guests. Talk about a great conversation piece!
- The smoke adds aromatics to add to the craft cocktail experience.
- A smoked old fashioned cocktail brings out the smoky flavor of the whiskey even more.
We love that we can make a fancy-schmancy smoked craft cocktail with lots of depth of flavor at home without the long wait from the bartender (or the $18 per drink price tag).
A smoked old fashioned is a great drink and a terrific party trick when you’re hosting a get-together or as an impressive welcome drink before a dinner party.
Types of Smoking Tools
There are a few ways to make this tasty cocktail with smokey flavors.
- Smoking Vessel – Typically at high end restaurants and cocktail bars, you’ll find a smoking box or smoking barrel. This is a more expensive option where you place your finished cocktail into the vessel in order to surround it with smoke.
- Smoking Gun – If you are looking to add smoke flavor to glasses and pitchers of larger sizes, a smoking gun is a moderately priced option to do so. This smoking gun set always gives you the ability to make smoke bubbles for your cocktail! It can also be used to add smoke under a cloche, similar to a smoking vessel.
- Rocks Glass Smoke Infuser – An old fashioned smoker top is an affordable way to start smoking cocktails at home. You simply place the infuser over the individual glass, fill the top with smoke, then remove and enjoy. This is what we use at home.
Equipment Needed for a Smoked Old Fashioned
In addition to the equipment needed to make an old fashioned cocktail, you will need a few additional pieces of special equipment to add smoke to your drink.
- Cocktail Smoke Infuser – We use a simple over-the-glass cocktail smoker. It takes up less room than a cloche-style smoker and it is easily portable.
- Wood Chips – You can find a variety of types of wood chips, from oak wood chips to apple to pecan wood chips to hickory smoke. We usually end up using oak chips to complement the oak barrel that bourbon is aged in. Most cocktail smokers come with wood chips as part of the package.
- Torch – This handheld stick torch is SO much easier to use than the crème brulee style torch we initially used. Be sure to also order butane fuel for refills as well.
- Large Ice Cubes- Ask any mixologist and they will tell you that good ice is as important as the booze in your cocktail. These silicone big ice cube molds ensure your old fashioned stays cold without watering down too quickly. We also have circular ice molds that we use as well as the square shapes.
- Rocks Glass – You’ll mix your cocktail AND smoke your cocktail right in your old fashioned glass. Find a rocks glass style you love that will also fit with the cocktail smoking apparatus.
- Cocktail Spoon – If you don’t have a cocktail spoon at home, you can order them on their own or as part of a mixology set with a cocktail shaker. This will be used to fish out the Luxardo cherries from the jar and stir together your old fashioned.
Smoked Old Fashioned Recipe
Prep Time: 3 Minutes
Serves: 1 Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 teaspoon demerara or raw sugar
- Splash of water
- 2 dashes of angostura bitters
- 1 dash of orange bitters
- 1 Luxardo cherry (or maraschino cherry)
- 1 slice of orange peel or an orange slice
- Large ice cube
Equipment:
Directions:
- Start by spooning the sugar into a rocks glass.
- Add a splash of water, 2 dashes of angostura bitters, and 1 dash or orange bitters, then use a cocktail spoon to combine them into a syrup.
- Add 2 oz. of your bourbon whiskey to the glass along with a large ice cube, then stir to combine.
- Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and a twist of orange peel.
- Put the cocktail smokers over the cup, fill with wood chips, and use the torch to light the chips.
- Torch the chips until the top of the glass fills with smoke, roughly 5-10 seconds.
- Remove the cocktail smoker from the top of the glass and enjoy!
Smoked Old Fashioned Recipe
How to make a smoked old fashioned at home! Elevate your craft cocktails for dinner parties, date nights and holidays.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 teaspoon demerara or raw sugar
- Splash of water
- 2 dashes of angostura bitters
- 1 dash of orange bitters
- 1 Luxardo cherry (or maraschino cherry)
- 1 slice of orange peel or an orange slice
- Large ice cube
Instructions
- Start by spooning the sugar into a rocks glass.
- Add a splash of water, 2 dashes of angostura bitters, and 1 dash or orange bitters, then use a cocktail spoon to combine them into a syrup.
- Add 2 oz. of your bourbon whiskey to the glass along with a large ice cube, then stir to combine.
- Garnish with a Luxardo cherry and a twist of orange peel.
- Put the cocktail smokers over the cup, fill with wood chips, and use the torch to light the chips.
- Torch the chips until the top of the glass fills with smoke, roughly 5-10 seconds.
- Remove the cocktail smoker from the top of the glass and enjoy!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
-
Cocktail Smoker Kit with Wood Chips -
Torch Lighter, Butane Adjustable Fire Jet Torch Windproof -
Butane Fuel, Refill -
Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses - Set of 4 -
Ice Cube Molds - Silicone Ice Mold Ball Maker -
Luxardo, Gourmet Cocktail Maraschino Cherries -
10 Inch Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler and Mixing Spoon -
Mixology Bartender Kit with Stand
Looking for more cool cocktails to make at home? Don’t miss these other whiskey cocktail recipes:
- You can literally use your Christmas tree to make a pine simple syrup for a festive Christmas Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe.
- The taste of a peanut butter cup, in a glass! Use peanut butter whiskey to make this dessert cocktail with this martini-style, Peanut Butter Whiskey Cocktail Recipe.
- Apples, Whiskey, Cider, and a Cinnamon Stick – Our Apple Cider Sangria Recipe is a perfect batch cocktail to make during the fall and winter months.
- Add sweet tea to a traditional hot toddy and you’ve got a more flavorful take on a classic warm whiskey cocktail. Check out our Tea-infused Hot Toddy Recipe.
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