Beyond whiskey: drinks worth smoking
Read
Aged rum, tequila and even cold brew take beautifully to a little wood smoke. Here are a few places to start.
27 August 2026
Aged rum
Pour an aged rum over a large ice cube. Its oak and vanilla notes give fruitwood smoke a warm setting. Try Candied Apple or Smoked Cherry, using a small pinch of chips for the first pour.
Tequila and mezcal
Start with reposado tequila, neat or in a stirred cocktail. A brief fruitwood infusion adds aroma as you lift the glass. Mezcal already has a distinctive smoky character, so taste it first and choose the wood to suit the bottle.
Gin cocktails
A Negroni is a good place to begin. Campari and sweet vermouth give the drink enough depth for a light fruitwood infusion, while the gin’s botanicals remain part of the finish.
Without alcohol
You can use the same approach with a favourite alcohol-free drink:
- Cold brew coffee with a brief Heritage Oak infusion.
- An alcohol-free Old Fashioned made with your preferred spirit alternative.
- Still apple juice or cider over a large cube of ice.
Find your preferred finish
Make 2 small pours and smoke 1 lightly. Smell both, then taste. Keep the wood and timing that bring out the parts of the drink you enjoy most. For a sparkling cocktail, smoke the base before adding the mixer.