Smoked Old Fashioned

An Old Fashioned finished with smoke for aroma and cooler-weather drama.

Base spirit

Bourbon

Style

Spirit-forward

Glassware

Rocks glass

Technique

Stir

The Smoked Old Fashioned keeps the classic whiskey-sugar-bitters structure and adds wood smoke to the glass or spirit. Smoke heightens aroma and pairs naturally with fall and winter service. The underlying drink should remain balanced; smoke is seasoning, not the recipe.

Smoked Old Fashioned in a rocks glass over a large ice cube, amber, orange peel, faint smoke.

Ingredients

Servings

• 2 oz bourbon
• 0.25 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• wood smoke
• orange peel

Did you know?

“Tableside smoking became a craft-bar flourish in the 2000s and 2010s, especially on Old Fashioned variations.”

Source:Modern craft cocktail presentation trends

Bartender's Note

Capture smoke under a cloche or rinse the glass briefly. Over-smoking turns the drink acrid.

Missing a bottle? See smart swaps in Learn.

How to make the Smoked Old Fashioned

1Stir bourbon, syrup, and bitters with ice
2Strain over a large cube in a smoke- glass, or smoke under a cloche
3Garnish with an orange peel

Drinks similar to Smoked Old Fashioned

Apple Cider Old Fashioned

An Old Fashioned sweetened with apple cider and maple for a clear autumn profile.

Maple Old Fashioned

A whiskey Old Fashioned sweetened with maple syrup instead of sugar.

Fancy Free

An Old Fashioned variation sweetened with maraschino liqueur instead of simple syrup.