I can’t believe it’s Whiskey…..
A refreshing, summertime drink based on Bourbon? Yep. That’s the Whiskey Smash. It’s easier on the palate than straight whiskey, dryer than a Whiskey Sour, and just plain better than a Mint Julep. I was introduced to these at a diner in Manhattan this past winter. I understand the lack of sense that makes. I was drinking a Manhattan, a great wintertime Bourbon based drink. However, one of our party had been served a Whiskey Smash the night before, and she wanted another. So, this being the age we live in, I Googled it on my phone and told the waiter how to make it. And then I tried it. And then I made it my own…. and I’ve been making them ever since.
This Whiskey Smash recipe yields a moderately sweet, slightly tart, well balanced summer drink.
Ingredients:
1 large sprig mint (8-10 leaves)
1/2 lemon, in pieces
3/4 – 1 oz (20-30 ml) simple syrup
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters
2 oz (60 ml) Bourbon (I like a medium price mixing bourbon here, something in the $20-30 range)
Method:
Place first three ingredients in a shaker cup. Muddle well – you want the lemons fully juiced and the mint bruised, but not torn into little pieces that will get stuck in your teeth. Add bitters, bourbon, and 1-2 cups ice. Shake well for 45 seconds to a minute. Strain into a double highball glass filled with fresh ice. Make sure you don’t have anything to do, or anywhere to be for awhile…. repeat.
This is a great drink to play around with, and make your own. Try different bourbons, bitters, ratios. It’s forgiving, and you will probably drink and forget any mistakes.
Here’s a video showing how it’s done —