Smoked Bourbon Mules

Oct 31, 2023 • Tom Jackson

Let the kids wear the capes this Halloween. You can hang out in the driveway knowing you're the real hero with this Smoked Bourbon Mule recipe. Chef Tom shows us how to cold smoke bourbon and add a few simple ingredients to make a Halloween treat that isn't tricky at all.

WHAT YOU'LL LOVE

This recipe layers smoke twice: cold smoke penetrating the bourbon itself for an hour, then fresh hickory chip smoke trapped inside the serving glass for 30–60 seconds before assembly. Both smoke layers are distinct and register at different moments in the drink.
The toasted marshmallow garnish isn't decorative — it adds a campfire caramelized sweetness that floats above the cocktail on the nose before the first sip.
The recipe scales effortlessly: cold smoke a full bottle of bourbon at once, and you have enough smoked bourbon for a dozen drinks. The per-drink assembly (lemon juice, maple syrup, ginger beer, glass smoke) takes under two minutes once the bourbon is ready.
Wild Turkey 101 is specified because its higher proof (50.5% ABV) and bold caramel-vanilla profile absorb and express smoke character more distinctly than lighter bourbons.

Smoked Bourbon Mules

Tom Jackson

Rated 4.5 stars by 2 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

1

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

1 hour

Calories

315

Experience the unique smoky aroma of cold-smoked bourbon with the ultimate Halloween party in your driveway. Enjoy the complex flavor for an elevated celebration.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1/4 cup smoked bourbon (we used Wild Turkey 101)
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp Tapped Whiskey Barrel Maple Syrup
1/2 cup ginger beer
2 large marshmallows, toasted

View Cart (0) Checkout

Directions

Fill an A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker with hickory pellets. Place the tube smoker on the main cooking grate of the Yoder Smokers YS480s Pellet Grill, and light the pellets with a torch. Turn the grill on, but do not fire it up. This will allow the fan to push air through the cooking chamber, circulating the smoke from the tube smoker without creating much heat.
Pour your bourbon into a Lodge Cast Iron Pie Pan and place on the second shelf of the grill. Let the bourbon cold smoke for an hour.
Place a few hickory smoking chips on a Napoleon Cedar Plank. Light the chips with a torch and let burn for about 10 seconds. Place a whiskey glass over the chips. Let the flame burn out and the glass fill with smoke. Let sit and soak in the smoke for 30-60 seconds.
Turn the glass over and add one large ice cube. Pour the bourbon, lemon juice and maple syrup over the ice. Top it off with the ginger beer.
Place two large marshmallows on a skewer. Toast the marshmallow with a torch. Place the skewer on top of the glass for garnish.

Recipe Note

Recipe FAQ

Why cold smoke the bourbon for a full hour?
Cold smoke — hickory pellets in the A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker on an unlit YS480s, fans only — circulates smoke over the bourbon's surface in the Lodge Cast Iron Pie Pan for 60 minutes without adding any heat. Ethanol (the alcohol in bourbon) is excellent at absorbing and retaining volatile smoke compounds. The hour-long exposure allows the hickory's phenols and guaiacols to dissolve into the bourbon's fat-soluble flavor compounds. Less than 30 minutes produces minimal smoke character; the full hour produces a distinctly smoky bourbon that reads in the nose and finish.

Why smoke the glass separately from the bourbon?
The glass smoke (Direction Step 3) is a different register of smoke from the bourbon's cold smoke. The bourbon absorbs smoke into its liquid chemistry — it's integrated and smooth. The glass smoke creates a fresh smoke aroma trapped in the glass that the drinker encounters first when lifting the glass. The two smoke applications produce a layered effect: aromatic fresh smoke on the nose, integrated smooth smoke in the flavor.

What bourbon should I use?
Wild Turkey 101 (as specified) works well because its higher proof (50.5% ABV) and bold caramel, vanilla, and spice character stand up to smoke without being overwhelmed. Lower-proof, lighter bourbons can taste thin when cold-smoked because the smoke overshadows their more delicate flavor. Choose a bourbon you'd drink neat at 90 proof or higher for best cold-smoke results.

Can I cold smoke a whole bottle at once?
Yes — and it's the most efficient approach for a group. Pour the full bottle into a large Lodge cast iron pan, cold smoke for one hour, then funnel back into the bottle. The smoked bourbon keeps at room temperature indefinitely. One hour is calibrated for the shallow depth of the pie pan; a deeper vessel may need 15–20 extra minutes for equivalent smoke penetration.

Can I substitute a cocktail smoking gun for the glass-smoking step?
Yes — a cocktail smoking gun with hickory chips over an overturned glass produces equivalent results for Direction Step 3. Fill the glass with smoke, quickly invert it over a flat surface to trap the smoke, then assemble the drink as directed.

Can I make this indoors?
3 out of 5 — Works indoors with adjustments. The glass smoke step works anywhere with a cocktail smoking gun. The bourbon cold smoke step requires the A-MAZE-N Tube Smoker on an unlit grill and can't be replicated indoors. A close approximation: add 2–3 drops of hickory liquid smoke to the bourbon per serving and let rest 30 minutes before using.

Recipe Highlights

Don't ignite the grill — fans only: Direction Step 1 is explicit. The fans circulate cold smoke over the bourbon without generating heat; heat would evaporate the ethanol and volatile flavor compounds during the hour. Press the power button only — do not hit Start.
Use a shallow pan for the bourbon — not a deep vessel: Direction Step 2 specifies the Lodge Cast Iron Pie Pan. The bourbon's shallow depth (about 1/4") maximizes surface area exposure to the circulating smoke. A deeper vessel with the same volume of bourbon has a smaller surface-to-volume ratio and will absorb significantly less smoke in the same time window.
Let the glass sit over the burning chips for the full 30–60 seconds: Direction Step 3 inverts the whiskey glass over the smoking hickory chips on the cedar plank. The smoke needs time to fully fill the glass and begin condensing on the interior walls — 10–15 seconds is not enough. A full 30–60 seconds produces a visibly smoke-filled glass and leaves a residue of smoke compounds on the glass interior that persists after the smoke dissipates.
Add the ginger beer last and don't stir: Direction Step 4 tops off with ginger beer after the bourbon, lemon, and maple syrup are over the ice. Stirring after adding ginger beer releases the carbonation and produces a flat drink within minutes. Pour gently down the side of the glass and serve immediately — the drink is best in the first 5 minutes before the carbonation dissipates.