Jump to recipe Jump to recipe card Orange-colored cocktail displayed in a rocks glass filled with ice, garnished with a peach slice and a basil sprig, sitting on a white agate coaster with a bar spoon next to it and cocktail books in the background

Orange-colored cocktail displayed in a rocks glass filled with ice, garnished with a peach slice and a basil sprig, sitting on a white agate coaster with a bar spoon next to it and cocktail books in the background

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With peach season at peak juiciness here in Georgia, it would be rude of me to not keep the peach cocktail theme going strong! So today’s tipple comes to you in the form of a Bourbon Peach Basil Smash.

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What is a smash drink?

A Smash is a fruity, icy concoction that dates back more than a century. It's a popular drink among cocktail lovers (especially in the South) thanks to both its seasonal flexibility and the fact that you can make it using whatever ingredients you like or have on hand! The general formula includes:

A spirit
A fruit
An herb
Sugar
Lots of ice
A Splash of water or something bubbly

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_‍But how you make it is up to you! You can incorporate the herbs and fruit into the drink or just use them as a garnish. You can serve it over ice or serve it strained. You can combine different spirits or just use one. There are no rules. Using the above formula as a general guideline, the sky's the limit when it comes to Smash cocktail recipes! You can mix and match ingredients until your heart’s content.

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Smash Cocktail History

The Smash has been around since the 1800s, with one of the first examples appearing in 1862 as a Julep recipe in Jerry Thomas’ book “How to Mix Drinks.” Interestingly, the Smash is a Julep, but not all Juleps are Smashes – this distinction being made in 1888 by barman Harry Johnson who identified the Smash as its own cocktail due to the addition of fruit.

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Which makes it a fun drink to mix up year-round to showcase seasonal ingredients! And also a great one for creating thematic drinks around holidays and celebrations. How about a Cranberry Thyme Smash for a red and green Christmas cocktail? Or a Pineapple Mint Smash for a beach holiday? Or a Blackberry Ginger Smash for a black and orange Halloween drink?

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What other flavor combinations do you think would make a yummy Smash? Let me know in the comments below!

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An orange-colored cocktail displayed in a rocks, garnished with basil and a peach slice

Peach Bourbon Basil Smash

What’s better than an icy cold Smash drink on a hot summer day? A Whiskey Smash cocktail that combines peach and basil for a refreshing Smash cocktail recipe you’ll be reaching for all season long!

Yields:

1 Drink

Print it

Ingredients:

2 oz Bourbon

½ cup Fresh Peaches, peeled

4-5 Large Basil Leaves

½ oz Peach Basil Brown Sugar Syrup

¼ oz Lemon Juice

Splash Club Soda

Garnish: Peach Slice and/or Basil Sprig

Instructions:

FOR THE COCKTAIL:

Add peaches and basil to a cocktail tin and muddle together. Add Bourbon, syrup, lemon juice and ice and shake until cold. Double strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice, top with a splash of club soda and give a gentle stir. Garnish with basil and a peach slice.

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FOR THE SYRUP:

Combine equal parts brown sugar and water in a small saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves. Add peaches and basil leaves and remove from heat. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. For reference: I used ½ cup of sugar and added ½ a peach and 6 large basil leaves.

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Recipe Notes:

If you don't want to go to the trouble of making a flavored syrup, a regular brown sugar simple syrup will work just fine. You can certainly use a regular simple syrup as well, but it won't add the same depth of flavor that I think this drink needs.