Bourbon Smash
Bourbon Smash garnished with mint and lemon.
The Bourbon Smash: A Mint Julep Meets Whiskey Sour
The Bourbon Smash has roots going back to the 1800s when Jerry Thomas described smashes as "simply a julep on a small plan" - basically smaller mint juleps with spirit, sugar, ice, and mint. But the version people make today is different, and we have Dale DeGroff to thank for that.
In the late 1990s, DeGroff was running the bar at Blackbird in Manhattan and decided to shake things up. He took the basic smash concept and added muddled lemon wedges alongside the mint. That one addition changed everything, bringing bright citrus oils into the mix and creating something that felt fresh and new. He included it in his 2002 book "The Craft of the Cocktail," and bartenders everywhere started making their own versions.
The recipe is simple: muddle lemon wedges and fresh mint with simple syrup in a shaker, add bourbon and ice, shake well, then strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with a mint sprig and maybe a lemon wheel.
What makes this drink work is that muddled lemon. You're not just getting juice - you're releasing oils from the rind that add this intense citrus note the original smashes never had. Combined with mint and bourbon, it's refreshing without being overly sweet.
Any mid-shelf bourbon works great here - Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Bulleit. Fresh mint is mandatory, and that crushed ice keeps everything cold and diluted just right as you sip.
The Bourbon Smash is endlessly customizable too. Add muddled peaches, strawberries, or blackberries. Swap in different herbs like basil. The basic formula works with almost anything you throw at it.
It's the kind of drink that works on a hot summer day or any time you want something cold, strong, and refreshing without too much fuss.
RECIPE:
2 oz bourbon
½ oz simple syrup
½ oz fresh lemon juice
Fresh mint leaves
Method:
Muddle mint with simple syrup and lemon juice in shaker.
Add bourbon and ice, shake.
Strain into ice-filled glass and garnish with mint.