Smash with Success

Incorporate seasonal fruits and herbs into your cocktail repertoire with a smash. The most basic smash consists of herbs, citrus, and whiskey. And when most people think of a Whiskey Smash; mint, lemon, and bourbon come to mind. As long as you work with classic ratios, a delicious smash should be a breeze.

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A Simple Smash

Process

• Muddle mint and squeezed lemon wedges in shaker tin.
• Add simple syrup and whiskey.
• Shake. Double strain over fresh ice in rocks glass. 
• Garnish mint sprig and lemon wheel.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces whiskey​
• half lemon (wedged)
• half ounce simple syrup
• handful of mint

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A Custom Smash

The process stays the same here and the fun starts when you vary the ingredients. Look into seasonal herbs. Remember with herbs, the more hearty they are, the more you need to manipulate them to release their flavor. The opposite is true for more delicate plants. Take rosemary and basil for example. Rosemary may be best incorporated through initial muddling with the recipe's simple syrup before adding citrus, or added as a garnish and exposed to heat (yes! that means torch it!!). Basil may require no muddling at all - a simple shake with the other ingredients will adequately release it's aroma. 

More Garnish Tips

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A Complicated Smash

Continue with the same process and allow seasonal berries or spices to influence you. A smidge of orange juice (added to the lemon) will change the viscosity and alter the flavor depth of your whiskey. Consider using a flavored simple syrup such as cinnamon or ginger to add spice to your smash. No matter what you choose to add, balance ought to be your primary goal. The Flavor Bible is a great source of information if you don't have a natural predilection for finding such matches.

Show Me a Recipe

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Smash It Up a Notch

The possibilities are endless when you know what your guests like or have convenient access to new and exciting flavors. 
Here we combined carrot juice, mango juice, grapefruit juice, mint, cinnamon, and bourbon. The earthiness of the carrot helped to calm the brightness of the grapefruit while mint and cinnamon really brought out those chilly weather feelings that we love so much!

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