7 Best Smoked Cocktails You Can Drink Anytime

Quick Answer

Smoking a cocktail means briefly exposing the drink (or its glass) to wood smoke to add a layer of aroma and depth. Almost any spirit-forward cocktail takes to it well, but the classics are the smoked Old Fashioned and smoked Manhattan. This roundup covers seven worth trying: a smoky Old Fashioned, smoked Manhattan, smoky apple cider margarita, smoked rose, rum and smoke, smoke on the water, and smoked gin. The easiest way to do it at home is with a smoke lid or a handheld cocktail smoker over a pinch of wood chips — hickory, oak, and applewood are popular choices. Smoke for just 10–20 seconds, taste, and add more only if you want it stronger.

Smoking not only entices the senses, but also takes the old-fashioned cocktail to a new level of flavor and comfort. The visual attraction and the aroma of smoke, combined with its delicate infusion into your favorite cocktail, creates a 3-dimensional experience.

The art of smoking smooths and blends ingredients into perfect harmony. The depth and complexity of a smoky cocktail are simply sensational! 

If you're looking for some new recipes to spice up your next dinner party, look no further. Here are 7 smoked cocktail recipes you have to try.

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What To Burn To Smoke Your Cocktail

Herbs and spices create an earthy aromatic, while wood chips infuse subtle complementary flavors. Woods that smoke exceptionally well include hickory, cherry, maple, oak, and applewood.

Wood Chips or shavings, work well with spirit-forward cocktails such as Manhattans, Martinis, and Old-Fashioned's. Alternatively, sour cocktails smoke robustly with nuts, fruit, and herbs.

You can choose from an array of ingredients to smoke. 

Here are a few ideas:

• Wood Chips/Shavings
• Whole spices
• Teas
• Nuts
• Fruit
• Weedy herbs like rosemary, lavender, thyme, and sage

Related: The Best Wood Chips for Smoking Cocktails

Ways To Smoke Your Cocktail

Various smoking techniques are available, depending on your budget and time. From a homemade smoking box or a hand-held smoking gun, to simply torching your garnish of citrus or herbs. Any of these methods can be used in the comfort of your own home, to dazzle guests at your next dinner party, or simply to fire up your relaxing evening.

Three ways to add smoke to your favorite cocktail include:

1. Smoke-rinse your glass - pumping smoke directly into your upside-down cocktail glass
2. Smoke-rinse the entire cocktail – fill your decanter with smoke then pour in your cocktail, and 
3. Double-boil a batch – sitting your cocktail container within a bowl of ice, near the smoker 

7 Smoky Cocktail Recipes To Try At Home

1. Smokey Old-Fashioned

Try this modern twist to the age-old classic, the Old-Fashioned. To your favorite whiskey drop, add Jack Daniels, and the sweet lift of maple syrup. A dash of bitters brings the sweet-sour harmony into balance. Hickory wood chips are burnt in a smoking gun or your smoke lid.

The smoke is then pumped into your upside-down cocktail glass. After several moments, up-end the glass and decant your prepared cocktail. Sit back and enjoy this reimagined, smooth classic. This is also a great camping cocktail.

See our smoked Old-Fashioned recipe.

2. Smoked Manhattan 

This timeless favorite is energized by the fruity tones of apple smoke. Starting with your choice of bourbon (bourbon is great for smoked drinks), add a drop of sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters. Using the smoke-rinse method, infuse the empty cocktail glass with smoked apple chips. Decant your cocktail mix, stir for 30 seconds then rest for 3-5 minutes.

See our smoked Manhattan recipe.

3. Smoky Harvest Apple Cider Margarita

Elevate the palate with this smoke-infused recreation. To your base of Mezcal, add the sweet orange liqueur and a dash of apple cider. The sweetness of maple syrup brings perfect balance and harmony to this blend. Pour the blend into a sugar-frosted glass. Immerse a smoking cinnamon stick into the glass. A refreshing experience that transports you back to the joys of summer!

4. Smoked Rose Cocktail

Aromatics and the woody smoke of rosemary, recreate your favorite whiskey. To your nip of whiskey, add a shot of Green Chartreuse liqueur, followed by a dash of rosemary syrup. Pour this blend into your smoke-filled cocktail glass. 

5. Rum & Smoke

Warm up on a cold, winter’s night with this sweet and nutty drop. Start with your rum base, add a drop of Oloroso sherry and Tempus Fugit’s Gran Classico bitter. Harmonize the blend with the sweet syrup of rosemary. Garnish the cocktail with a submerged, burnt rosemary sprig.

6. Smoke on the Water

A twist to the classic Margarita, with fruity tones and a woody smoke infusion. Select your favorite Mezcal, and add a shot of Cointreau. Follow with a splash of watermelon juice, and the sweet-sour balance of hibiscus syrup and lime juice. Decant into your cocktail glass and garnish with a burnt rosemary sprig. 

7. Smoked Gin

Recharge this aged favorite with an infusion of smoked botanicals. Start with your choice dry gin, add a drop of Campari, and sweet vermouth. Above your cocktail glass, hold a citrus peel near a flaming match.

Squeeze the peel to expel the citrus misted over the glass. As the flame dies, immerse your smoked citrus peel into your cocktail. This infusion of smoky citrus essentials will charge your favorite gin with zing and jazz!

Final Thoughts

Capture your senses and imagination with the art of ‘smoking’. From the aromatics of smoked applewood, to the earthy notes of rosemary - smoke infusion will take your favorite cocktails, to the next level.

Recreation of these classics will allow you to dazzle your dinner guests, whilst also providing that ‘me’ moment to kick back and simply enjoy. Start smoking your cocktails today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What cocktails can you smoke?

Bold, spirit-forward cocktails work best because the smoke complements the base spirit instead of getting lost. Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, Negronis, and whiskey- or mezcal-based drinks are naturals, but you can also smoke lighter cocktails like a margarita for a seasonal twist.

What is the best wood for smoking cocktails?

It depends on the drink. Hickory, oak, and mesquite give a bold, robust smoke that suits whiskey cocktails, while applewood and cherrywood are milder and sweeter, which works well with lighter or fruit-forward drinks. If you want to match wood to cocktail, see our guide on choosing the right wood chips.

How do you smoke a cocktail at home?

The simplest methods are a smoke lid or a handheld cocktail smoker placed over the glass with a small pinch of lit wood chips. You can also smoke the glass on its own or use a torch and chips. A few seconds of smoke is usually enough — our guide to smoking whiskey walks through the setup.

Do you smoke the glass or the drink?

Both work, and they give slightly different results. Smoking the finished cocktail produces a more integrated aroma, while smoking the empty glass alone gives a lighter, subtler effect. Our breakdown of smoking the glass vs the cocktail covers when to use each.