Ingredients

  • 2 ozbourbon
  • ¾ ozfresh-lemon-juice
  • ¾ ozsimple-syrup
  • 6 leavesfresh-mint
  • 🍋Mint sprig and lemon wheel(garnish)

🔧 Tools

cocktail shakermuddlerjiggerstrainerfine strainer

Instructions

  1. Gently muddle mint leaves with simple syrup in a shaker to release oils without shredding.
  2. Add bourbon and lemon juice.
  3. Add ice and shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds.
  4. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
  5. Garnish with a mint sprig and lemon wheel.

📜 History

The smash category dates to the mid-1800s, appearing in Jerry Thomas's 1862 guide as variations on the julep using muddled fresh fruit and herbs. The modern Whiskey Smash gained prominence during the craft cocktail revival of the 2000s, popularized by bartender Dale DeGroff. The drink demonstrates the muddling technique—extracting flavors through gentle pressing rather than aggressive crushing—and shows how spirit, citrus, sweetener, and herbs can create something greater than its parts.

#classic#summer#refreshing#bourbon#pre-prohibition#herb-forward