Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned Recipe

Prepare glass and muddle

Place an old fashioned glass on your work surface. In a mixing glass or directly in the chilled old fashioned glass, add the brown sugar and 2 dashes chocolate bitters. Cut the fresh orange in half. Reserve one half for garnish. From the remaining half, cut a 1/2" slice of peel and place into the mixing glass (or use a small piece of orange flesh if you prefer). Add the 2 bourbon cherries. Using a muddler, gently press and twist just until the sugar begins to dissolve and the orange and cherries release their oils and juices — about 8–10 gentle presses. Do not over-muddle; you want aromatic oils and some juice, not pulverized peel.

Add bourbon and ice

Add 2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon to the muddled mixture. If the sugar hasn't fully dissolved, add the optional 1/4 tsp water or a splash (5–10 ml) of soda and stir briefly to help dissolve the sugar. Add one large ice cube or sphere to the old fashioned glass (or fill a mixing glass with ice if you prefer to stir and then strain).

Stir and strain (if using mixing glass)

If you used a mixing glass, stir the cocktail with a bar spoon for about 20–30 seconds until well-chilled and slightly diluted. Strain the cocktail over the large ice cube in the old fashioned glass. If you muddled in the serving glass, simply give a gentle stir to combine.

Prepare a handheld smoker, smoking cloche, or use the traditional smoke-in-glass technique. Place the old fashioned glass (with the cocktail and ice) inside a smoke cloche or cover the glass with a mixing tin turned upside down. Light the cherry wood chips until they smolder and produce smoke. Capture smoke under the cloche or tin and allow the cocktail to sit in the smoke chamber for 20–40 seconds depending on desired smokiness. For a handheld smoker, deliver smoke into the glass and then seal for 20–30 seconds. Remove the cloche/tin and allow a moment for the smoke to integrate with the drink (5–10 seconds).

If you prefer a lighter aroma, quickly wave the smoke over the glass rather than fully sealing. Use caution when handling lit wood chips; extinguish remaining chips in a safe container.

Express the reserved orange peel over the smoked cocktail by holding it skin-side down about 3–4 inches above the glass and giving it a firm squeeze to spray essential oils across the surface. Run the peel around the rim if desired, then drop into the glass or discard according to preference.

Skewer a bourbon cherry and rest it on the rim or drop it into the drink. Optionally flame the expressed orange peel briefly over the cocktail for an added caramelized aroma (careful with flames). Serve immediately while the smoke aroma is still present.