Whiskey Smash

About the Whiskey Smash

Mint, lemon, and Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey come together in the Whiskey Smash, a muddled, fine-strained cocktail that plays more like a whiskey julep than a traditional sour. The mint leaves and lemon wedges are muddled directly in the shaker to release their oils and juice, then combined with the rye and a measure of simple syrup and shaken hard with ice before being fine-strained over fresh ice in a chilled rocks glass, so the finished drink is clear and clean rather than cluttered with muddled debris. Rye whiskey tends to bring a spicier, drier edge than a standard bourbon or corn whiskey would, and Timber Creek’s Black Rye, distilled and aged separately from the distillery’s other grains under its PureBlend process before blending, carries that pepper and grain character clearly enough to stand up to the amount of mint and citrus in this recipe without disappearing into them. What you end up with is a cocktail that’s refreshing in the way a mojito is refreshing, but with the depth and warmth of whiskey underneath, which makes it an unusually versatile drink: cooling enough for a hot Florida afternoon, but still substantial enough to sip slowly into the evening.

The mint garnish on top does more than decorate the glass; brushed or lightly slapped before serving, it releases extra aromatic oil that hits the nose with every sip and keeps the drink smelling as fresh as it tastes. It suits casual outdoor entertaining particularly well, and it pairs nicely with smoky, savory foods that can hold their own against the mint and rye, grilled chicken, smoked brisket, cucumber salad, goat cheese, or a lemon tart for something sweeter alongside it. Because it’s built for easy sipping, it can be easy to underestimate the alcohol content, so it’s worth treating it like any other whiskey drink and pacing accordingly, with water close by and food on the table.

Mint, lemon, and Timber Creek Florida Black Rye Whiskey come together in the Whiskey Smash, a muddled, fine-strained cocktail that plays more like a whiskey julep than a traditional sour. The mint leaves and lemon wedges are muddled directly in the shaker to release their oils and juice, then combined with the rye and a measure of simple syrup and shaken hard with ice before being fine-strained over fresh ice in a chilled rocks glass, so the finished drink is clear and clean rather than cluttered with muddled debris. Rye whiskey tends to bring a spicier, drier edge than a standard bourbon or corn whiskey would, and Timber Creek’s Black Rye, distilled and aged separately from the distillery’s other grains under its PureBlend process before blending, carries that pepper and grain character clearly enough to stand up to the amount of mint and citrus in this recipe without disappearing into them. What you end up with is a cocktail that’s refreshing in the way a mojito is refreshing, but with the depth and warmth of whiskey underneath, which makes it an unusually versatile drink: cooling enough for a hot Florida afternoon, but still substantial enough to sip slowly into the evening.

The mint garnish on top does more than decorate the glass; brushed or lightly slapped before serving, it releases extra aromatic oil that hits the nose with every sip and keeps the drink smelling as fresh as it tastes. It suits casual outdoor entertaining particularly well, and it pairs nicely with smoky, savory foods that can hold their own against the mint and rye, grilled chicken, smoked brisket, cucumber salad, goat cheese, or a lemon tart for something sweeter alongside it. Because it’s built for easy sipping, it can be easy to underestimate the alcohol content, so it’s worth treating it like any other whiskey drink and pacing accordingly, with water close by and food on the table.