Warm and complex on the palate, this Smoked Bourbon Old Fashioned recipe offers an undeniably delicious and robust flavor. Whenever you’re craving a classic but want to take things up a notch, mix up this cocktail that offers a richer flavor. Not to mention, it only uses three ingredients for utter simplicity. Plus, you can store the excess demerara syrup you make for this cocktail to use in other drinks.
What is Demerara Sugar?
Demerara sugar is a type of unrefined cane sugar that’s known for its distinctive golden color and coarse texture. It’s minimally processed, which means it retains some of the molasses from the sugarcane juice. This action gives it a subtle caramel or toffee-like flavor. Unlike brown sugar, which adds molasses to white sugar, demerara sugar gets its flavor naturally from the molasses it retains during processing. This type of sugar is great for baking, adding to hot beverages, or sprinkling on top of desserts. But for our Smoked Bourbon Old Fashioned we turn it into a delectable syrup. You can find demerara sugar at Whole Foods Market or on Amazon.

Smoked Bourbon Old Fashioned
Description
The smoked aspect adds a touch that upgrades this classic coktail.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Kinsey 4 Year Bourbon
- ½ oz smoked demerara syrup
- 3–4 dashes of pomander orange bitters
Instructions
- Stir all ingredients together. Pour in a rocks glass, add one large ice cube, and garnish with an orange rind. Enjoy!
For the syrup:
- With a smoking gun, smoke ½ cup demerara sugar with a rind of ½ orange.
- Bring ½ cup water to a boil, add sugar and rind, and stir until sugar is dissolved.
- Remove rind and store in an airtight container.
Recipe by Dan Ball
Styling by Keith Recker
Photography by Dave Bryce
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