The traditional whiskey smash gets a makeover in this Berry Bourbon Smash: strawberries, blackberries and blueberries make this cocktail fun and fresh.
I do not tout myself to being a mixologist. Far from it. A good friend of ours did take a mixology class and she has taught us a lot of nifty tricks over the years.
We have experimented with infusions and shrubs, and we have now moved on to enjoying bitters. Last year another good friend of ours has a small whiskey distillery.
Although I can not take a swig of whiskey straight up, I was excited to come up with a whiskey drink that I would like. A bit of research and I found the perfect girly whiskey drink: a whiskey smash.
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Recipe highlights
- Simple but Sophisticated. At its core, a whiskey smash is a mix of spirit, citrus, and mint. This version gets a fruity upgrade with berries and a dash of bitters—no mixology degree required.
- Fruity and Balanced Flavor: Even if you’re not a bourbon fan, this cocktail might just convert you. The berries and lime balance the bourbon with fresh, juicy flavor, while mint keeps it refreshing.
- Seasonal Sipper. This cocktail is perfect for spring and summer when berries are in season. It’s the kind of drink you’ll want to sip on a sunny patio or serve at your next BBQ.
- Customizable: You can use any mix of berries—strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries—whatever’s fresh or frozen. No fresh mint? Try basil for a fun twist.
- Impress-Without-Stress Cocktail: Looks fancy in a glass, but it’s totally doable for beginners. Great for impressing guests or elevating your weekend happy hour.
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Ingredients you need
- Bourbon: You can use any flavor of whiskey or bourbon you like.
- Berries: You use one or a variety of berries. I used strawberries, blackberries and blueberries.
- Fresh mint: There are many varieties of mint you can use, from the basic mint we all know and love to spearmint, chocolate mint and lemon mint.
- Simple syrup: Simple syrup is made by combining one cup of sugar with one cup of water and heating it until a syrup is formed. You can use flavored or unflavored syrup.
- Aromatic bitters: There are many varieties of bitters you can use, from homemade to store bought. I used Angostura bitters.
Step-by-step directions
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- Add ingredients. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and muddle together.
- Divide and serve. Fill two glasses with ice and divide cocktail and fruit evenly into the glasses then serve immediately.
Recipe tips and FAQs
Fruity cocktails are not reserved for rum or vodka. Think of this bourbon smash as whiskey version of a mojito. It is very refreshing and easy to make.
Fan of gin? Try this fruity strawberry salty dog.
Fan of rum? How about a red currant mojito.
You can customize your smash by using flavored simple syrups. One of our favorites is an orange simple syrup. Just add the zest of an orange while the syrup is simmering.
Different types of bitters also will vary how your cocktail will drink.
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Bourbon Smash with Berries
Ingredients
- 4 oz bourbon
- 2 strawberries halved
- 1 ½ oz fresh blackberries
- 1 oz blueberries
- 4 leaves of fresh mint
- 1 oz simple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon aromatic bitters
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and muddle together.
- Fill two glasses with ice and divide cocktail and fruit evenly into the glasses.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
Your Berry Bourbon Smash sounds, well, smashing. 😉 Smashes are fun drinks, aren’t they? And bourbon is good stuff. Have fun experimenting!
Dear Laura,
I will never be tired of saying you that your pictures are amazing! Full of life, with bright colors, great light, and so sweet too! I guess your children love you very much, you seem to be so sweet…
Wonderful work, Laura, indeed. Congrats!
Marisa
I don’t know about the drink because I don’t drink a lot and would never be confused with a mixologist. However, I LOVE being able to say, “Would you like a berry bourbon smash?” 🙂