Smokey Oldfashioned Recipe

Chill glass and prepare tools

Place an old-fashioned glass in the freezer for 5–10 minutes or fill it with ice and water to chill while you prepare the cocktail. Prepare a large ice cube (clear if possible) and have a peeler, bar spoon, jigger, and your smoking device ready.

Measure and combine

In a mixing glass, combine 2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon, 0.25 oz pure maple syrup, and 3 dashes Jerry Thomas bitters. Stir briefly to integrate the syrup with the bitters and bourbon.

Dilute and chill

Add enough ice to the mixing glass to fill it. Stir the mixture for 20–30 seconds (about 20–30 full strokes) until the outside of the glass is frosty and the drink is properly chilled and slightly diluted (~20–25% dilution target for spirit-forward cocktails).

Prepare glass

Discard the chilling ice/water from the chilled old-fashioned glass. Place the large ice cube into the glass.

Strain

Using a julep/strainer, strain the stirred cocktail over the large ice cube in the chilled glass.

Smoke the cocktail (smoking gun method)

Fill the smoking gun's bowl with a small pinch of wood chip (apple, cherry, or oak). Ignite and direct smoke into the glass, covering the top with a coaster or small cloche to trap the smoke. Pump smoke into the glass until it is visibly filled (about 5–10 seconds), then let sit for 10–20 seconds to absorb aroma. Remove the cover and discard any remaining ember in the smoking gun according to manufacturer instructions.

Smoke the cocktail (cloche/hand-torch method)

If using a small handheld torch or burning wood chip, ignite a wood chip on a heatproof surface, capture the smoke under a cloche or inverted glass, then invert that cloche over the cocktail glass to trap smoke. Let it sit 10–20 seconds, then remove the cloche and extinguish the ember safely.

Express and garnish

Take an orange peel, hold it over the smoked cocktail, and lightly express the oils by pinching the peel so the oils spray onto the surface of the drink. Rub the rim of the glass with the peel if desired, then drop the peel into the drink as garnish.

Serve immediately so the drinker experiences the aroma of the trapped smoke with the first sip.

Adjust maple syrup to taste (0.25–0.5 oz) for sweetness preference. Use 2–2.5 oz bourbon for slightly stronger or milder versions. For a subtler smoke, briefly waft smoke over the glass instead of trapping it.