Cocktail Atlas

Maple Bourbon Smash

Bourbon shaken with muddled lemon, fresh mint and pure maple syrup, served over crushed ice. A fall turn on the Whiskey Smash.

Cocktail Atlas · Updated

Spirit
Bourbon
Glass
Rocks glass
Method
Shaken
Difficulty
Intermediate

Riff on: Whiskey Sour

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A Maple Bourbon Smash in a rocks glass mounded with crushed ice, with a big sprig of mint and a lemon wheel

Maple Bourbon Smash

Ingredients

Ingredients for Maple Bourbon Smash. Tick each one as you add it.
AddedMeasureIngredient
2 oz
3
½ oz
8

Steps

  1. Muddle the lemon wedges with the maple syrup in a shaker until the juice is out of the lemon.
  2. Add the mint leaves and press them gently, just enough to release their oil.
  3. Add the bourbon and fill the shaker with ice. Shake hard for about 10 seconds.
  4. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
  5. Clap the mint sprig between your palms, then garnish with it and a lemon wheel.

Garnish Mint sprig and a lemon wheel

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Batch it For a party of 4–20

Makes 8 drinks, about 25 oz · 750 ml before ice.

Maple Bourbon Smash batch
AmountIngredient
16 oz · 480 mlBourbon
24Lemon wedges
4 oz · 120 mlMaple syrup
64Mint leaves
5 oz · 150 mlCold water, for dilution (approx.)

The water stands in for the melt from shaking: about 25% for a shaken drink. It is an approximation, so taste and adjust. Chill the batch at least 2 hours and pour over fresh ice.

Fits one 750 ml bottle; a funnel helps.

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Why it works

A smash is a sour built from whole fruit instead of juice. Muddling lemon wedges pulls oil from the peel as well as juice, so the drink tastes brighter and more aromatic than one made with juice alone. Maple stands in for simple syrup and adds a toasty, woody sweetness that suits bourbon’s vanilla and oak. Mint is pressed, not shredded, so it stays fresh rather than grassy, and crushed ice keeps the drink very cold while it dilutes quickly to soften the bourbon.

Substitutions

  • Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. A darker grade gives more maple flavor.
  • Rye instead of bourbon makes it drier and spicier.
  • No crushed ice? Wrap cubes in a clean towel and crack them with a rolling pin or muddler.

Variations

  • Whiskey Smash: simple syrup in place of maple, for the original summer version.
  • Maple Whiskey Sour: lemon juice instead of muddled wedges, shaken and served without the mint.

Questions

What is the difference between a smash and a sour?
A sour uses squeezed citrus juice. A smash muddles whole citrus wedges and fresh herbs and is served over crushed ice, so it is more aromatic and a little less sharp.
Why double strain?
A fine strainer catches mint fragments and lemon pulp, so the drink is smooth and nothing gets stuck in your teeth.
Can I make it without a shaker?
Yes. Muddle in a sturdy glass, add the bourbon and crushed ice, and stir well until the glass is frosty. It will be a little less aerated.

Making it: Maple Bourbon Smash

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