After a couple of weeks of some pretty fancy Smashes of our own creation, we’re going back to basics. Sometimes simple and to-the-point is all you need. Here’s one of the original Smashes, and one of the best: the Whiskey Smash. – Andrew

Illustration by Nathalie Ouederni for Oh So Beautiful Paper

The Whiskey Smash

2 oz Bourbon Whiskey
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 a Lemon, Quartered
2 Mint Sprigs

Combine all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker and add a few big pieces of ice, as big and as square as you can find and fit. Shake hard to pulverize the lemon and mint, then strain into a tumbler filled with fresh crushed ice. Garnish with more mint and enjoy!

The very first Whiskey Smash consisted of just whiskey, sugar, and mint – a combination you might recognize from another recipe. So there’s not a whole lot to distinguish a classic Whiskey Smash from a Mint Julep; the only difference, if there is one at all, is that Juleps are meant to be sipped slowly and languidly through a straw, while Smashes are meant to be knocked back a bit more quickly.

This is a slightly updated version of that classic recipe, throwing in a bit of acidic citrus (and aromatic lemon peel oils) to give the very-mellow drink a slight edge, a bit of a bite. And it works: this is very easy drinking.

(Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, where we’ve been posting our experiments before they make their way onto this column!)

Glassware by Liquorary

Photo Credits: Nole Garey for Oh So Beautiful Paper