The Whisky Smash is a Sonoran-style craft cocktail made with Earl Grey iced tea muddled with pomegranate seeds, bitters and black pepper. Pomegranates came to the Sonoran region of Arizona from the Middle East via Spain in the 1690s.
Whisky Del Bac is an amazing mesquite smoked whisky made in Tucson that I hope exists forever. If you can’t get your hands on a bottle of Del Bac, the Scotch whiskey Laphroaig is a good alternative, but really any fine quality smoky whisky will do. The mesquite smoke gives it a distinctly Sonoran character that makes this cocktail genuinely regional rather than just a standard whisky smash.
What Is a Whisky Smash?
A smash is a classic cocktail that dates to the mid-1800s. The muddling step extracts flavor and color from the fruit directly into the glass rather than using a prepared juice or syrup. This version uses pomegranate seeds instead of the more common mint or citrus, and Earl Grey tea in place of plain water or soda, which adds a bergamot floral note that pairs unexpectedly well with smoky whiskey and pomegranate.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds plus more for garnish
- 2 shots whiskey, about 3 ounces preferably Del Bac Whiskey
- 1 to 2 dashes bitters
- 2 ounces Earl Gray Iced Tea
Instructions
- Muddle two tablespoons of pomegranate seeds in the bottom of a rocks or old-fashioned glass.
- Pour in two shots of whisky and a dash of bitters. (I used The Bitter End's Curry Bitters.)
- Top with two ounces of Earl Gray iced tea. Garnish with ice cubes (or one big ice cube), a few pomegranate seeds and freshly ground pepper.
