The merest sniff of a single malt whiskey takes me straight to the Highlands of Scotland. To me, a single malt evokes peat, heather, crystal-clear streams, and the purest fresh air. A cocktail that employs both 15-year-old Laphroaig single malt and Maker’s Mark bourbon can only be a roaring success. This smoky version of the classic old-fashioned is a robust drink and intended to be drunk slowly. As the ice melts, the flavor develops.
Smoked Old-Fashioned Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 brown sugar cube
- 6 drops Angostura bitters
- 1 oz. Laphroaig 15-year-old single malt whiskey
- 2 oz. Maker’s Mark bourbon whiskey
- To garnish: a large orange twist and a black cherry
Directions
- Place the sugar cube on a napkin, and drip the Angostura onto the cube. (It is all too easy to drip too much bitters onto the sugar if you put the cube straight into the glass. A napkin will absorb any excess.)
- Transfer the soaked cube to an old-fashioned glass, and add the rest of the ingredients.
- Using the back of a bar spoon, crush the sugar cube to dissolve it into the whiskies.
- Add large cubes of ice, and stir.
- Garnish with the orange twist and cherry.
Excerpt from William Yeoward’s American Bar (Cico Books, 2012) | Text ©William Yeoward | Photography ©Loupe Images/Gavin Kingcome
