What is the best bourbon for a smoked old fashioned?

We used E&J Brandy to make the smoked old fashioned pictured here, but you can easily use any of your favorite bourbon, whiskeys or brandy.

What kind of wood is used for a smoked old fashioned?

Typically a fruit wood chip works great, we prefer cherry, but any different types of wood chips would work. Our cocktail smoking kit also came with apple wood chips and pecan wood chips.

Smoked Old Fashioned

Description

The BEST Smoked Old Fashioned recipe! Level up your regular old fashioned with this flavorful and delicious smoked version!

Ingredients

Scale

1.5 – 2oz bourbon whiskey or brandy
.25 – .5oz simple syrup (or muddle a sugar cube)
3 dashes bitters
(optional) splash of Sprite (for Smoked Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned)
ice
garnish: orange peel + maraschino cherry
SITOO cocktail smoker*

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Mix: In a lowball glass add bourbon (or brandy), simple syrup, bitters and sprite (if using).
Ice + Garnish: Add ice and garnish with orange peel and a cherry on a toothpick.
Smoke: Take your SITOO cocktail smoker and place on top of the drink. Take the small top off and add a pinch or two of your smoking wood chips. Use a small butane lighter and burn the smoking chips for a second or two. Once they start burning (they won’t burn very long) cover with the top and watch the smoke trickle down into the cocktail glass. Wait 15-20 seconds and then remove the entire cocktail smoker.
Serve: Serve and enjoy (and get ready to make more because these will be popular!).

Notes

Brandy Old Fashioned (Sweet): if you are looking for a sweeter brandy old fashioned recipe then feel free to add in a splash of sprite to the top and maybe an extra cherry or two!
Maraschino Cherries: I highly recommend using these Luxardo Maraschino Cherries – they are the best!
Simple Syrup vs. Sugar Cube: feel free to add a sugar cube and muddle it in with the cherry instead of adding the simple syrup. Either way works.
*SITOO Cocktail Smoker: we have tested quite a few ways to make smoked cocktails over here at TWS and this is by far the best option we have found. PRO TIP: use a small drill and make the holes in the bottom of the cocktail smoker a bit wider (just don’t go through the wire mesh) so more smoke can come through. If you aren’t seeing very much smoke that may be the issue OR actually use less of the smoking wood chips – you don’t need a lot and if you use too much they end up blocking the smoke from going into the glass.
Butane: this is the butane refill we purchased.
Wood Chips: we love using the cherry wood chips, but all of them are amazing!