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The Smoked Cherry – A Bourbon and Brandy Cocktail

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Last Updated on June 8, 2023 by Leah Hall

Check out our Smoked Cherry cocktail, using our fun smoking gun! A great combination of bourbon and brandy in this smoked cocktail!

 

This past Christmas, we got a new toy to add to our arsenal of kitchen tools, a smoking gun! We have been wanting to play with a smoking gun to make cocktails for a while. This was after seeing one used at our favorite bar to make a smoked cocktail. This smoked cocktail is one that we and many of our friends always order, the cocktail full of a rich smokey flavor and an awesome presentation.

 

Smoked Cocktail

When we got our own smoking gun at home, we couldn’t wait to smoke a cocktail of our own!

 

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The Smoked Cherry cocktail under cloche for smoking. Silver fox on top.

Cloche / Ice Ball Mold

Smoking cocktails is a big trend in mixology these days! It’s a great way to add a ton of savory flavor to a cocktail. Like cured meats where smoking makes the end product better, smoking a cocktail can take a drink that is good and make it a star!

The Smoked Cherry cocktail under smoke filled cloche with silver fox on top.

We started out on the Smoked Cherry by choosing a spirit that works really well with smoke like bourbon or a rye. Either already has a hint of natural smoke from the charred barrels used to age the spirits. The warm spicy notes of the bourbon and its natural sweetness are enhanced by the smoke, plus it gives us a big boozy base for the cocktail!

The Smoked Cherry cocktail under smoke filled cloche. Jigger, lemon and flowers in background

What about Brandy?

Honey and smoke are two unlikely bedfellows. But then, when you think about how honey is gathered, smoke is big part of that process! We decided to add in a little honey brandy which brings some honey flavor while not adding to much sweetness. The brandy also adds a bit more strength to the drink and helps keep the drink in balance.

Normally brandy is served warmed in a brandy snifter. neat. But brandy is also great in a cocktail, as we did in this one.

 

Will brandy go bad?

If it is open too long the flavor and quality can go down a bit. Once you open it you may want to start drinking it regularly.

The Smoked Cherry cocktail under smoked filled cloche. Lemon and flowers in background

Rocks Glasses

We wanted a little herbal aspect to the drink, so we mixed in some vermouth blanc. It’s a sweeter vermouth made from a fortified French white wine (we recommend La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Blanc). This was great in cocktails or by itself. The addition of the vermouth adds a sweet floral hint which really works well with bourbon.

 

The vermouth has just enough of a tartness like you get from a white wine. This brightens up the cocktail, especially when combined with a splash of fresh squeezed lemon juice.

The Smoked Cherry cocktail in rocks glass, cloche over the top with smoke coming out. Lemon and flowers in background

What Ingredients are Needed for the Smoked Cherry Cocktail?

  • Campari
  • Cherry Bitters
  • Bourbon
  • Lemon Juice
  • Sage Simple Syrup
  • Honey Brandy
  • Vermouth Blanco
  • Cherry Wood

 

Tasting the cocktail at this point, we felt it was a little flat. It was a little spirit forward and needed some sweet to bring it into balance. We chose one of our favorite infused syrups, sage simple syrup. We used it because has a nice hint of evergreen and herb. This really works well with the smoke flavors, the feeling reminiscent of a camp fire in an evergreen forest.

 

A splash of Campari adds a complex bitter citrus note that added a crisp refreshing bite and tied the drink together.

The Smoked Cherry cocktail in rocks glass, wood plate. Lemon and flowers in background

Garnish Picks / Luxardo Cherries /Mixing Glass

But what about the cherry you ask? After all we called this the Smoked Cherry! Well the first thing we added was a couple of dashes of cherry bitters which brings a tart cherry tang to the drink. But the main cherry flavor we added to this drink was in the smoke. We used some cherry wood as the source of the smoke. If you are lucky enough to have a smoking gun, this is the point to bust it out and smoke that cocktail!

 

If You Are Looking for More Bourbon Cocktails, Try These!

 

If you don’t have a smoking gun, check out our Bourbon Barrel cocktail where we have a different technique for smoking a glass! We finished up by adding in one of our brandied cherries as a garnish, and to totally make the cherry pop!

 

Cheers!

 

Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!

 

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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!

Grapefruit Smoked Salt London MuleGrapefruit Smoked Salt London Mule

 

The Cherry Blossom Cocktail - A Sake and Gin CocktailThe Cherry Blossom – A Sake Cocktail

 

Other Cherry and Whiskey Cocktails

Other Brandy Cocktails

The Smoked Cherry, pink cocktail in rocks glass with ice ball on wooden tray. Greenery and lemon in background
Yield: 1

The Smoked Cherry - A Bourbon and Brandy Cocktail

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

A sweet cherry cocktail with bourbon and honey brandy that we have smoked with cherry wood.

Ingredients

For the Cocktail

  • 1.50 ounces bourbon
  • .50 ounce honey brandy
  • .50 ounce vermouth blanco
  • 1 bar spoon or Tbsp Campari
  • .25 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • .50 ounce sage simple syrup
  • 4 dashes cherry bitters
  • cherry wood for smoking

Instructions

Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice.

Stir until chilled.

Place a large ice cube into a rocks glass.

Strain liquids into the glass.

Place glass in a container for smoking.

Smoke the cocktail with the cherrywood.

Cheers!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 200Total Fat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 9.9gFiber: 0gSugar: 7.2gProtein: 0.1g

Did you make this recipe?

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mfstarr

Tuesday 6th of June 2023

Where can I get the fox Cloche? A most for my next party.

Thank you

The Noms

Tuesday 6th of June 2023

Hi! Wish we could help you! We found it at a discount store years ago and I have searched for it and cannot find a match anywhere. So sorry, but have fun at your next party, cheers! Leah

Matthew From Nomageddon

Monday 13th of March 2017

OK EVERYTHING about this is awesome. The lighting is perfect and the drink looks like it's glowing! The smoke effect is beyond perfect! Seriously is there a word for that? Ice balls are the only way to go! AND the cocktail itself sounds effing delicious.

The 'Noms.

Monday 13th of March 2017

Aw, thanks Matt! We loved this one, and were just glad we didn't set off the smoke detectors, LOL! Thanks, friend!

Sasha @ Eat Love Eat

Tuesday 21st of February 2017

This is super cool!

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

Thank you!

deliciousmeetshealthywp

Monday 20th of February 2017

Wow, this cocktail looks fantastic! I have never had or heard of a smoked cocktail but it sounds like a great cocktail with amazing flavors! Can you use the smoked gun for food & grilling in?

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

Thank you! We have had smoked cocktails at a few places and couldn't wait to try it for ourselves! Yes, the smoking gun is a cold smoker and can be used for anything you want to smoke!

J at BlessHerHeartYall.com

Monday 20th of February 2017

What a fun gift! I've never played around with a smoking gun but it looks like fun! I LOVE that you used honey brandy and cherry bitters! How delicious.

The 'Noms.

Thursday 23rd of February 2017

Thanks, we have been having a lot of fun with the smoking gun! It's a great combo, cheers!

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