Peach Bourbon Smash recipe
Juicy ripe peaches muddled with fresh mint and bourbon create a vibrant summer whiskey smash.
Method: Muddle, shake, and strain ·
Glass: Rocks glass ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Old Fashioned Family
Ingredients
- 2 slices ripe fresh peach (pitted and sliced)
- 6-8 leaves fresh mint (plus extra for garnish)
- 0.5 oz simple syrup (or rich brown sugar syrup)
- 2 oz bourbon whiskey (bottled-in-bond or high-rye)
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 oz ginger beer (spicy style to top)
How to make a Peach Bourbon Smash
- Muddle the peach slices, mint leaves, and simple syrup gently in the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Add the bourbon and fresh lemon juice along with ice cubes.
- Shake vigorously for ten seconds to chill and integrate the fruit juices.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice.
- Top with ginger beer and stir gently from bottom to top.
Garnish
Garnish with a fresh peach wedge and a fragrant mint sprig.
Pro tip
Muddle the peaches and mint with care to bruise the mint oils rather than shredding the leaves into bitter fragments. If fresh peaches are out of season, high-quality peach preserves work as a reliable backup.
History of the Peach Bourbon Smash
The whiskey smash traces its roots back to Jerry Thomas's 1862 Bartender's Guide, where it appeared as a lighter, fruit-accented cousin of the mint julep. While modern iterations frequently incorporate seasonal stone fruits like peaches, culinary historians note that regional American adaptations evolved organically across southern and Midwestern bars during the late nineteenth century. Though exact attribution for the peach-infused riff remains undocumented in early cocktail canon, bartenders popularized the combination of muddled fruit, bourbon, and mint as a refreshing warm-weather staple.
Flavour profile
Fruit-forward, Minty, Spicy, Rich
Variations
- Peach Rye Smash — Substitute high-rye bourbon with spicy rye whiskey to add extra peppery bite against the sweet summer peach.
- Smoked Peach Smash — Add a quarter-ounce of peaty single malt scotch float or smoke the glass with peach wood chips for a savory, campfire depth.
Practise making the Peach Bourbon Smash in the free Virtual Bar game.