Sherry Smash
Amontillado sherry muddled with fresh mint and shaken with lemon and sugar, served over crushed ice. Nutty, herbaceous, and just the right amount of fun.
- 2 ozamontillado sherry
- ¾ ozfresh lemon juice
- ½ ozsimple syrup
- 8 wholefresh mint leaves
- Fresh mint sprig and lemon wheelgarnish
- 1Add fresh mint leaves, simple syrup, and fresh lemon juice to the bottom of a shaker tin.
- 2Muddle gently to release the mint oils without tearing the leaves.
- 3Add the amontillado sherry and fill with ice.
- 4Shake vigorously for 10 to 12 seconds.
- 5Strain over a generous mound of crushed ice in a rocks glass.
- 6Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and a lemon wheel.
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The Sherry Smash is a contemporary riff on the classic Smash format, a category that dates to the early 19th-century American bar scene and was codified by Jerry Thomas in his foundational 1862 guide as a short, spirit-forward drink with muddled herbs. The modern Sherry Smash replaces the traditional whiskey or brandy base with amontillado sherry, whose hazelnut and dried-apricot character pairs exceptionally well with fresh mint and bright lemon. It became a fixture on Spanish-inspired cocktail menus during the 2010s as bartenders looked for versatile, lower-alcohol alternatives to muddled fruit and herb cocktails.
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