Smoked Winter Old Fashioned Recipe

Chill glass and prepare ice

Place your Old Fashioned glass in the freezer or fill it with ice water to chill while you prepare the cocktail. If you use a large ice cube or sphere, ensure it's frozen solid and ready to use.

Combine ingredients in mixing glass

In a mixing glass add 2 oz Wild Turkey 101, 0.25 oz simple syrup, 2 dashes black walnut bitters and 2 dashes aromatic bitters.

Add ice and stir

Fill the mixing glass with large ice (enough to chill without watering quickly). Stir gently and steadily for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full turns) until the outside of the mixing glass feels cold and the cocktail is properly diluted and chilled.

Prepare serving glass

Empty the chilled Old Fashioned glass of any ice or water. Place the large ice cube or sphere into the serving glass.

Strain

Using a Hawthorne or julep strainer, strain the stirred cocktail from the mixing glass into the serving glass over the large ice cube.

Position smoking setup

Set the filled serving glass on a stable surface. Place your cloche or inverted tin over the glass so there's room for smoke to collect. If using a smoking gun, position its nozzle under the dome. If using wood chips and a torch, place a small pinch of wood chip on a heatproof surface or in a metal spoon held near the glass, ready to ignite.

Generate smoke

If using a smoking gun: light and feed the smoking gun with the wood chip, then fill the dome with smoke and pinch the dome opening to trap smoke for 20–45 seconds depending on desired intensity. If using torch: ignite the wood chip with the torch until it smolders and produces smoke, then carefully funnel the smoke under the dome until filled.

Rest and capture aroma

Let the cocktail rest under the smoked dome for 1–2 minutes to allow the smoke to gently infuse the surface and aroma. For a stronger smoke flavor, extend to 2–3 minutes but beware overpowering the bourbon.

Uncover and garnish

Remove the cloche or dome, allowing a small plume of smoke to escape toward the guest. Express the orange peel over the drink by holding the peel with the outer (oily) side facing down over the glass and giving it a sharp squeeze to spray oils onto the surface, then rub the peel around the rim and drop it into the drink as a garnish.

Present the smoked Old Fashioned immediately while the smoke is still audible and the cocktail is cold. Serve with a small napkin or coaster. Encourage the drinker to take a short sniff before sipping to appreciate the smoked aromatic top note, then sip slowly to enjoy the balance of bourbon, bitters and walnut notes.