Smoke Signal Recipe

Smoke infusion (makes ~12 oz smoked bourbon)

Line a small heatproof bowl or pan with a handful of wood chips and char lightly with a torch or on a hot element until they begin to smolder. Immediately place the charred chips in the bottom of the heatproof jar, pour the 12 oz unsmoked bourbon into the jar, cover tightly and let sit for 20–30 minutes to capture smoke. For a lighter smoke, 10–15 minutes is sufficient; for more pronounced smoke, up to 45 minutes. Decant the bourbon through a fine mesh or coffee filter into a clean bottle. Store and use like regular bourbon.

Notes: Do not over-smoke — pit-smoked character should be present but not bitter. This optional step approximates the house pit-smoked bourbon called for in the recipe.

Chill glass

Place an old-fashioned (rocks) glass in the freezer or fill with ice water while you prepare the cocktail so the glass is cold when serving.

Combine ingredients

Add 2 oz pit-smoked bourbon, 1/2 oz demerara syrup, 3 dashes black walnut bitters and 2 dashes orange bitters to a mixing glass.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice (or standard ice if large not available). Stir gently for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 revolutions) until properly chilled and slightly diluted — the spoon should feel cold and the mixture should be clear and glossy.

Prepare glass and strain

Discard ice/water from the chilled old-fashioned glass. Place a single large clear ice cube or sphere in the glass. Strain the mixed cocktail over the ice using a julep strainer or Hawthorne into the prepared glass.

Express and garnish

Take the orange peel and express the oils over the drink by holding it skin-side down about 2–3 inches above the surface and giving it a firm bend to spray oils onto the cocktail. Run the peel around the rim to coat, then drop it into the glass. Optionally, gently toast a walnut or briefly smoke a wood chip and hold it near the glass to impart an aromatic accent when serving.

Serve immediately. The finished cocktail should present a warm smoky aroma, rounded sweetness from the demerara, and nutty, slightly bitter notes from the black walnut and orange bitters.