The Whiskey smash recipe
for your table
Put the lemon pieces and sugar syrup in the shaker and muddle them firmly, so that not only the juice but also the oil from the peel is released.
Add the mint and press it lightly, just enough to release its aroma.
Add the bourbon, fill the shaker with ice, and shake briefly and vigorously.
Strain everything into an old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
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The story
A smash is not a standalone recipe but a family: spirits, something sweet, mint, and fruit, briefly shaken and served over crushed ice. The whiskey smash is the best-known version, made with bourbon and lemon. The difference from the mint julep lies precisely in the lemon, because a julep contains no citrus and only bourbon, sugar, and mint are set against the ice. Muddling whole pieces of lemon releases not only juice but also oil from the peel into the glass, and that oil is what makes the smash so refreshing. It is also one of the simplest cocktails there is.
The right glass
A smash belongs in a low, wide old fashioned glass. That may sound contradictory for a drink full of crushed ice, but the wide opening is precisely what allows the bunch of mint to fan out, so you get its aroma with every sip. Allow for thirty centilitres or more, because crushed ice takes up a lot of space and settles considerably as you drink. A heavy base feels comfortable in the hand and keeps the glass stable when you fill it to the brim. Looking for a glass that also works well for whisky neat? Take a look at our whiskey glasses.
Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 32 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Adagio Tumbler 35 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 62,90.
The right tools
For a whiskey smash, in addition to the glass, you use a muddler to muddle the lemon with the peel on, a Boston shaker that is spacious enough for fruit and ice, and a cocktail strainer to hold back the pieces. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 83,80.
What do you use to make a whiskey smash?
For a whiskey smash, you need bourbon. Well-known bottles include Jim Beam and Jim Beam Double Oak. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Swap the bourbon for cognac or another brandy and you get a brandy smash, softer and with more fruit; with white rum, it becomes a rum smash that comes closer to a mojito. Leave out the lemon and you have a mint julep; leave out the mint and you end up with a whiskey sour. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Make the crushed ice just before serving: put cubes in a sturdy tea towel, strike them a few times with a rolling pin or the flat side of a muddler, and scoop it straight into the glass. Fill the glass completely and even build a small mound on top, because crushed ice settles considerably as you drink. Place the bunch of mint on the side where your mouth will be, so you smell the mint before tasting the bourbon.
Good to know
What a smash actually is
Smash is the name of an entire family of cocktails, not a single recipe. The structure is always the same: spirits, something sweet, mint, and a piece of fruit, briefly shaken and served over crushed ice. Within that framework, you can vary endlessly, using lemon, orange, strawberry, or peach, and bourbon, brandy, or rum as the base. The whiskey smash with bourbon and lemon is the best-known version and is often simply called a smash. Once you recognize the structure, you can make one yourself from whatever you have at home.
Why you muddle the whole lemon pieces
A lemon's peel contains oil, and that oil contributes a large part of what we call lemon flavor. If you squeeze only the juice, you get the acidity but not the aroma. If you muddle the whole wedges, you break open the oil glands in the peel, allowing that oil to come through along with the juice. The difference is immediately apparent in both aroma and taste: the drink becomes fuller and fresher at the same time. Press firmly but not endlessly, because the white part beneath the peel releases a bitter aftertaste if pressed for too long.
The difference from a mint julep
A mint julep consists of bourbon, sugar, and mint over crushed ice, and nothing more. There is no citrus in it, and it is stirred in the glass rather than shaken. The whiskey smash adds lemon and does go into the shaker, making it taste fresher and livelier and feel less sweet. Both are served over crushed ice and both are finished with a generous bunch of mint, so they look very similar at the table. Taste them side by side and the difference is immediately clear.
Making crushed ice without a machine
You don't need an ice machine. Put ice cubes in a sturdy tea towel or a clean linen bag, fold it closed and hit it a few times with a rolling pin, a meat tenderizer or the flat side of a muddler. The cloth catches the meltwater, leaving you with dry ice so your drink isn't diluted immediately. Hit briefly and precisely; the finer the ice, the faster it melts. Scoop the ice straight into the glass and keep the rest in the freezer, otherwise it will clump together within a few minutes.
The brandy or rum variation
The same structure works with other spirits. With cognac or another brandy, you get a brandy smash: softer, with more ripe fruit and less oak, which pairs well with the lemon. With white rum, it becomes a rum smash, similar in flavor to a mojito but still different because of the crushed ice and whole lemon pieces. In both cases, keep the proportions the same and adjust the sugar syrup at most, because a sweeter base calls for slightly less syrup.
Frequently asked questions
What goes into a whiskey smash?
A whiskey smash consists of 6 cl bourbon, half a lemon cut into quarters, 2 cl sugar syrup and a handful of mint. Muddle the lemon with the sugar syrup, add the mint and bourbon, shake briefly with ice and strain everything into an old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice.
What's the difference between a whiskey smash and a mint julep?
A mint julep contains no citrus: it's bourbon, sugar and mint on crushed ice, stirred in the glass. A whiskey smash adds whole pieces of lemon and goes into the shaker, making it taste fresher and less sweet.
How do you make crushed ice without a machine?
Put ice cubes in a sturdy tea towel or a clean linen bag and hit them a few times with a rolling pin or the flat side of a muddler. The cloth catches the meltwater, leaving you with dry ice. Scoop it straight into the glass.
Which glass do you serve a whiskey smash in?
In a low, wide old fashioned glass of around 30 to 35 cl, so the crushed ice fits inside and the bunch of mint can fan out. View the models in our old fashioned glasses.
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