Impress the whiskey lovers in your life with a smoked old fashioned cocktail. This recipe is an easy and beautiful conversation piece that takes a modern twist on this classic cocktail!
Take a good old fashioned to great with a smoky depth of flavor and classic orange peel garnish.
The holiday season is now in session (I consider the fall the start of holiday season, don't you?), so I wanted to put a spooky touch on the old fashioned cocktail for Halloween!

This smoked old fashioned cocktail recipe is something that even the most novice home bartender can accomplish and even the most serious bourbon drinker will appreciate. It's perfect for date nights or even your next party.
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History of the Old Fashioned Cocktail
Old Fashioneds actually go back to the early 1800's, being a mix of sugar, water, bitters, and spirits, garnished with a cocktail cherry or orange peel.
It was simple and potent, but as more complex cocktails came into play by 1850s and '60s, the cocktail came back en vogue for those who were used to the simple cocktails of the early 1800's...with the name 'the old fashioned'.

It's now one of the most popular and top selling drinks internationally.
Equipment Needed
Double old fashioned glass - this is also called a 'rocks glass'.
Smoke infuser or smoke gun - I use an old fashioned smoker top, let it sit on the top of the glass for a couple of minutes to let that smoke really infuse before removing.
Wood Chips - You can buy wood chips for smoking cocktails easily on Amazon.
Culinary Torch - a must to burn the wood.
Key Ingredients
Twist of Orange Peel - orange zest is a classic ingredient in an old fashioned, I also like adding a maraschino cherry since we love sweet flavors in our drinks.
Dashes of Angostura Bitters - Angostura bitters are spicy and bitter, with notes of cloves and cinnamon.
Good Bourbon - Use your favorite barrel-proof bourbon, a bourbon that's nice and strong and smooth. That doesn't have to mean expensive, but it does mean enjoyable!
Sugar Cube - I like the slight richness from raw sugar that you won't get with the traditional white sugar cube, but if you're not into sugar you can use pure maple syrup.

A Large Ice Cube - I used a skull ice cube mold for this recipe, it definitely impressed my husband.
How to Make a Smoked Old Fashioned
You make a classic old fashioned, sugar cube and all, then use a smoking tool and wood chips to fill your rocks glass with smoke.
Let the smoke really rest in there, infusing the cocktail with the flavor and scent.
I also like to place the garnishes, sugar, ice, and bitters in first, and smoke them before adding the bourbon and smoking the cocktail again. The smoke really gets to infuse into every aspect of the drink with this method rather than only binding to the glass, ice, and bourbon.

Variations
There are tons of great options to give more twists and unique spins on an old fashioned, simple ones like a change in garnish to more advanced things like smoking ice or smoking your sweetener.
Sprig of Rosemary - not only will this add those aromatic terpenes, you can use it like a seasonal swizzle stick.
Orange Slice - a whole orange slice is pretty traditional in old fashioned cocktails
Luxardo Cherries - Instead of sweet maraschinos, these sour cherries are soaked in luxardo liqueur. They're more expensive but more luxe, too.
Cinnamon Stick - another seasonal swizzle stick, it'll also release those wonderful oils it has and lend its flavor to your old fashioned.
Pure Maple Syrup - smoked maple syrup can be used in lieu of the sugar cube, you can smoke it in the glass using the method I talked about above in the Instruction section.

FAQ
A great choice is the breville smoking gun, since it's so versatile. A more affordable option is to buy an old fashioned cocktail smoker, which sits on top of the glass and pours in smoke. I also have a link to the skull shaped smoker used in the photos (great for halloween!).
There are surprisingly many different flavors of wood chips you can use. We used peach for this recipe, though cherry wood also create a light smoke as well. Each wood has their own unique flavor profiles.
I would not recommend heavier woods, like mesquite, that would mask the taste of your bourbon.
There are cocktail wood chips available online, these are my favorite wood chips to use.
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📖 Recipe

Smoked Old Fashioned
Impress the whiskey lovers in your life with a smoked old fashioned cocktail. This recipe is an easy and beautiful conversation piece that takes a modern twist on this classic cocktail!
Ingredients
- 1 sugar cube, or one teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon water
- 3 dashes angostura bitters
- 2 ounces bourbon or rye whiskey
- 1 strip orange peel
- 1 cocktail cherry
Instructions
- Place sugar cube in your old fashioned/ rocks glass. Pour in water and bitters, then stir to dissolve the sugar.
- Pour in two ounces bourbon.
- Squeeze the orange peel into the drink to release the oils. Gently run the peel around the edge of the glass, then place it in the cocktail. Garnish with the cocktail cherry.
- Use your cocktail smoker (foghat) or smoking gun with tube and fill the glass with smoke. Cover it with plastic wrap (if not using a foghat smoker) and let the cocktail and smoke rest for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove cover and add ice cube. Enjoy cold.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 433Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 3mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 0g
All nutrition facts are estimations. Please see a physician for any health-related inquiries.

Eden Westbrook is the recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Sweet Tea and Thyme. A classically trained chef, Eden has inspired home cooks into the kitchen with cultural comfort foods, easy family-friendly eats and sweets, and glorious spreads for date night and entertaining since 2015.
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