Skip to content
Cocktailary

Smash family1862

Whiskey Smash（ウイスキー・スマッシュ）

Whiskey Smash served in a rocks (crushed ice) glass
ウイスキー・スマッシュ · 1860sRocks (crushed ice) · Shaken

Bourbon, mint, lemon, sugar — the julep's rougher, shakier cousin.

Recipe →

01Recipe

Recommended recipe

House spec — an editorial spec drawing on the sourced versions below.

Ingredients and measures
IngredientMeasure
Bourbon60 ml
Fresh lemon juice22.5 ml
Simple syrup22.5 ml
Fresh mint leaves6

Total volume (pre-dilution)

  1. 01

    Muddle mint gently with lemon and syrup.

  2. 02

    Add bourbon and ice; shake hard.

  3. 03

    Strain over crushed ice. Garnish.

Garnish — Mint sprig · lemon wheel

02Taste profile

Sweetness
62Strong
Sourness*
90Intense
Bitterness
28Light
Fruitiness
48Moderate
Herbal*
20Light
Alcohol
50Moderate
Crisp
55Moderate

Independent editorial scores, 0–100. *Estimated from the ingredient list — a profile sketch, not a verdict.

03History

Jerry Thomas printed the smash formula in 1862 — a shaken julep, essentially, for people who couldn't wait for the ceremony.

Dale DeGroff revived it at the Rainbow Room in the 1980s as the proto-Mojito for whiskey drinkers — which is exactly what it is.

Sources — Thomas (1862) · Difford's Guide

04Recipe versions

Each version is shown exactly as recorded in its source — unverified claims are flagged.

Total volume (pre-dilution)
  • The Bar-Tender's Guide

    The Bar-Tender's Guide

    Thomas, Jerry, 1830-1885 · 1887 · Book

    • 4 tea-spoonfuls of water
    • 3 or 4 sprigs of young mint.
    • 1 wine-glass of whiskey.

    Lake 1 tea-spoonful of fine white sugar. Proceed, exactly, as directed in the last recipe.

  • How to Mix Drinks (Bar-Keeper's Handbook)

    How to Mix Drinks (Bar-Keeper's Handbook)

    Winter, G[eorge] · 1884 · Book

    • One-half tablespoon of sugar;
    • Four to five sprigs of mint
    • Fill glass half full of ice;
    • Wine glass of whiskey ;

    dissolve well until the es— sence of the mint is extracted ; Mix well strain into a sour glass, dress with fruit in season and serve.

  • Jerry Thomas, Bar-Tender's Guide

    Jerry Thomas, Bar-Tender's Guide

    Jerry Thomas · 1862 · Book · unverified

    • Bourbon
    • Lemon
    • Sugar
    • Mint
    • Crushed ice

    Shake over crushed ice.

Pick 2 versions to compare — up to 3 on a wider screen

05Variations

06The map

Spirits

SpiritBourbonBrandMaker's MarkBrandBuffalo Trace
SavedView saved