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If you’re someone who loves drinking cocktails, then experimenting with them must be a casual affair for you. One of the techniques that you must try out is smoking a cocktail. This technique adds a smoky flavour to your favourite cocktail. Mastering this can make you impress your friends, colleagues, and guests. Smoking the cocktail enhances the drink in many ways, such as bringing a subtle note and maximising the flavour. Besides, it engages with other senses of the drinker – the smell and the appearance, the taste and mouthfeel.
Spirits You Can Smoke
For Beginners
Choose spirits that will manage to do most of the work for you. Bourbon and rum work the best as the base for a smoked cocktail. Moreover, you can also opt for aged rum, whiskey, and tequillas. These cocktails work the best as they are aged in wooden barrels and have a woody and charred flavour. They also contribute to the natural sweetness that complements the smoky flavour of the smoked cocktail.
For Advanced Learners
Those who are experienced and confident to carry out smoking a cocktail can start with scotch, mezcal, and amaretto. Cocktails made with these spirits contribute a nuanced flavour that tastes delicious.
There are several ways in which smoking a cocktail can be carried out. This article will showcase some of the ways. Take a look:
- Smoking The Garnish
This is one of the easiest ways to carry out smoking a cocktail. To achieve this, prepare your cocktail and pour it into the serving glass. Light the garnish on fire until it starts to smoke a little. Put off the fire and set the garnish on the rim of the glass. Some may prefer to sip the drink with the garnish, allowing it to mix with the drink, or can just leave it on the glass and let the aroma of the smoked garnish do its work.
- Smoke-Rinsing The Drink
For this method, you’ll need a smoking kit. A smoking kit consists of a whiskey barrel smoking board, flavoured wood chips, a torch, and a mixing glass. Here, take the smoking board, place your ingredients on it, and light a fire on it. To acquire the best effect, heat it until it turns yellow and starts to flame. Place a wide-mouth container or a jar on it. Meanwhile, chill or prepare your cocktail glass and set it aside. Make your cocktail using a mixing glass or a shaker. Now, gently remove the wide-mouthed container or jar and fill it with the cocktail. Seal the container and swirl it for 30 minutes. Pour the cocktail into the glass for serving.
- Using A Smoking Gun
In this cocktail, a smoker kit is required, which contains a smoking gun, flavoured wood chips, a dome lid, and a lithium-ion battery. Prepare the cocktail first and pour it into the serving glass. Keep the glass under the dome lid. Attach the smoke gun to the hole in the dome lid. Fill the container placed on top of the gun with your ingredients and burn them. This will enable the smoke to enter the dome lid and your serving glass. Allow the smoke to sit with the cocktail for a minute or two. This technique will cause the smoke to stay adjacent to the outer side of the glass.
- Using A Cocktail Smoker
You can make this smoked cocktail by preparing the cocktail glass first. Make your cocktail and pour it into the glass. Place the cocktail smoker on top of the glass and fill its bowl with the ingredients you like to add. Set them on fire and wait until the smoke starts forming. Cover the smoker with its top and let it rest for a minute or two. Remove the apparatus from the cocktail glass, and the drink is ready to be served.
- Smoking The Cocktail Glass
Make your cocktail in a separate glass or container. Fire your ingredients, and when they begin to smoke, cover them with a cocktail glass. Let the smoke spread inside the glass and wait for it to cool. This will add fragrance to the glass. Now, turn over the glass and pour the cocktail in it. Your smoked cocktail is ready.
