According to David Wondrich, the Whiskey Smash comes from the Baroque Age (see opposite page) of the cocktail. Obviously, it served as inspiration for our seasonal Ginger Smash cocktails, but it is in all its features a julep—the only difference being that the Smash has some ornamental fruits for garnish and is always shaken so that the mint is “smashed”—hence the name. From all the smashes in the Baroque Age, it appears that the Brandy Smash was the most popular (same drink, different base spirit—try it out for yourself), but somehow the whiskey version stuck with us. Maybe sampling Dale DeGroff’s rocking peach whiskey smash sealed the deal for us, or maybe it was just that we loved the term “smashed.” In any case, this is a very simple drink to make, and we suggest that you use our homemade Mint Syrup in place of simple syrup for a far more dimensional cocktail experience. This cocktail is one of the very few that contains no juice but nevertheless should be shaken and smashed.

　　

Ingredients

makes 1 drink

　　2 orange half-wheels

　　1-finger pinch fresh mint leaves

　　1/2 ounce homemade Mint Syrup (page 156)

　　2 ounces Michter’s Us No.1 Rye Whiskey

　　Seasonal Berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, black currants, mulberries), for garnish

　　1 mint sprig, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Fill a rocks or Old Fashioned glass with shaved ice and put the orange half-wheels inside so that they cover the walls of the glass. In the bottom of a mixing glass, gently tap the mint leaves to release their essence and macerate them with the Mint Syrup. Add the whiskey and large cold ice cubes. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with the berries and mint sprig.

　　

tasting notes

Step 2

Dominant Flavors: mint and whiskey

　　

Step 3

Body: light, coarse, wet mouthfeel

　　

Step 4

Dryness: medium

　　

Step 5

Complexity: low

　　

Step 6

Accentuating or Contrasting Flavors: it’s all mint versus whiskey

　　

Step 7

Finish: short, sweet

　　

Step 8

Glass: rocks

　　Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.