If you are a fan of this classic cocktail that harkens back to the mid-1800s, you will enjoy your Old Fashioned with a unique twist. The original flavors of whiskey and bitters can now please your senses even more with an essence of smoke.

Originally called simply a whiskey cocktail, an Old Fashioned has become a staple for gentlemen of all ages these days and a classic option for discerning women. Ultimately, the choice of whiskey or bourbon is up to you. As you explore your own tastes over time, you will undoubtedly find a favorite you reach for time and again.

With the Busy Bee cocktail smoking set in your at-home bar, you can add not only new taste and scent experience, but also impressed all your whiskey drinking friends with a truly remarkable cocktail. This sophisticated option allows you to customize the drink even more with your choice of cherry, hickory, or barrel aged oak chips.

Ingredients

Use this Old Fashioned recipe or start with your own personal favorite. Bartenders and home cocktail enthusiasts have been putting their own spin on this drink for many years.

• Bourbon or rye whiskey
• Water
• Sugar cube (or tsp of simple syrup)
• Angostura bitters
• Orange peel and maraschino cherry to garnish

Cocktail Construction

Before mixing the ingredients together, a smoked cocktail requires preparation of the glass. Choose your favorite wood chip variety, place the Busy Bee cocktail smoker and mesh screen on the top of your glass, carefully use the butane torch to light the wood chips, and allow smoke to billow inside the glass to impart a unique flavor to its walls. Take care to remove everything before mixing the drink. Avoid heating the glass with the torch.

Cocktail creation differs whether you use a sugar cube or have prepared simple syrup. Some people prefer to muddle the sugar with water and use that to sweeten the mix. Either way, you add the sweet solution with the bitters at the beginning.

In your favorite whiskey short glass, combine the bitters and sugar. Add ice if you prefer to water down your Old Fashioned over time or use one of the chilled whiskey stones included in the smoker set. Squeeze or twist the small piece of orange peel to release the oils into the glass and drop it on top of the ice. Add whiskey, stir, and garnish with the maraschino cherry.

After making your cocktail, repeat the smoking procedure as described above. This lays down a flavorful essence on top of the liquid and creates a multi-sensory experience of taste and sent when you sip your drink.

If you find yourself reaching for your favorite bourbon or whiskey time after time and pouring an Old Fashioned, consider taking things one step further. Expand your experience and thrill your palette by combining this classic with a new smoked cocktail experience. The Busy Bee cocktail smoking set makes it simple to explore and impress at your next party or relax with an elegant treat during a quiet evening at home.