Drink More Bourbon recipe
Bourbon Peach Smash
A juicy seasonal smash with ripe peach, lemon, mint and bourbon.
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon
- 3–4 fresh peach slices or 1 oz peach puree
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 3–4 fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
- Peach slice and mint, for garnish
Instructions
- Muddle the peach and mint gently with simple syrup in a shaker.
- Add the bourbon, lemon juice and ice, then shake until chilled.
- Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with peach and mint.
Best bourbon style
A softer bourbon with vanilla and fruit notes supports the peach without overpowering it.
Tips and substitutions
Reduce the syrup when using very ripe fruit or sweetened peach puree.
About this cocktail
The Bourbon Peach Smash is built for the part of the year when peaches are fragrant, juicy, and easy to bruise with just a little pressure. Fresh peach brings round fruit sweetness, while lemon juice keeps the drink bright instead of jammy. Mint adds a cool herbal lift, and the bourbon gives the cocktail its structure: oak, vanilla, caramel, and gentle spice underneath the fruit. The key to balance is adjusting to the peach in front of you. A very ripe peach or sweetened puree may need less syrup, while firmer fruit may benefit from the full measure. This is an easygoing warm-weather cocktail for porch drinks, cookouts, summer dinners, or any time you want something fresher than a whiskey sour but still unmistakably bourbon-based. It should taste juicy and refreshing, not heavy or syrupy.
Choosing your bourbon
Choose a bourbon that supports peach rather than competes with it. A moderate proof, around 80 to 100, is usually ideal: strong enough to hold up after shaking with citrus and ice, but not so hot that it overwhelms the fruit and mint. Wheated bourbons tend to bring softer vanilla, honey, and pastry-like notes that work nicely here. A traditional rye-recipe bourbon can also be excellent if its spice is gentle, adding a little snap to the lemon and mint. Avoid anything extremely oaky, smoky, or high proof unless you want a bolder, more whiskey-forward version. Look for bottles with fruit, caramel, vanilla, light spice, or toasted sugar notes.
Make it your own
You can adjust this smash without turning it into a different drink. Swap the simple syrup for honey syrup for a rounder, floral sweetness, or use a mint simple syrup if you want the herb flavor more evenly distributed. Add one thin slice of fresh ginger to the muddle for a subtle bite, or include a few raspberries or blackberries alongside the peach for a deeper summer-fruit profile. If your peach is very ripe, use less syrup; if you are using unsweetened puree, start with the listed amount and adjust from there. For a longer drink, top lightly with chilled club soda after straining, keeping the bourbon, peach, lemon, and mint as the focus.
Serving tips
Serve this in a rocks glass with plenty of fresh ice so the drink stays cold without becoming watery too quickly. Shake well, then strain over new ice rather than dumping in the shaker ice, which can carry excess pulp and fast dilution. A peach slice and mint sprig look best when tucked near the edge of the glass; give the mint a quick clap before garnishing to release its aroma. If making several, muddle and shake in small batches so the mint stays fresh and the peach flavor stays bright.
