This summer-meet-autumn sip juxtaposes the essence of juicy late summer fruit with a smoky grilled edge, infused with spicy autumnal warmth and to create the ultimate transitional cocktail that's equal parts sweet 'n spicy. If you still haven't had your fill of late summer peaches, get your grill on and imbibe this simple but sassy cocktail sure to impress both bourbon lovers and bourbon skeptics (believe it or not, I was the latter prior to this cocktail) alike! As always, my Smoked Peach Maple Bourbon Smash is free of dairy, gluten and refined sugar -- and brimming with better-for-you ingredients, because I believe in balance in all areas of life. Grilled Okanagan peaches, Smoked Maple Bourbon, 100% pure Canadian maple syrup, fresh thyme, spicy ginger beer, fresh lemon juice, a splash of soda water and a dash of bitters are shaken to perfection and served over ice in this quintessentially September libation!
peach
tsp
maple syrup
(100% pure Canadian)
(I used Knob Creek)
fresh thyme
fresh lemon juice
Grilled peach slice
Sprig of fresh thyme
Start by firing up your grill and setting it to high heat. Grilling the peaches not only leaves delicious grill marks and a beautiful char on the fruit, it softens the peaches perfectly so they're able to break down in the cocktail shaker. That said, if you don't have access to a grill, set your oven to broil.
While the grill / oven comes up to temperature, wash and halve a fresh peach, removing the pit. Coat fresh with a thin layer of 100% pure Canadian maple syrup and set aside.
Add peach halves to a clean, hot, freshly oiled (I find Canola Oil works best) grill. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, or until a light char appears on fruit. If you're broiling, broil fruit for 2 minutes or until maple syrup starts to bubble and caramelize.
Remove peach halves from grill (or oven) and turn grill (or oven) off. Set aside to cool while you prepare the cocktail shaker.
Build your Smoked Peach Maple Bourbon Smash in a cocktail shaker by adding 8 ice cubes along with a grilled peach halve, sprig of fresh thyme, bitters and bourbon. Shake vicariously, until cocktail shaker becomes cold and the peach is throughly broken down.
Add 4 fresh ice cubes to a cocktail glass. Strain shaker contents overtop. It will take some effort to get most of the peach flesh out of the strainer, so keep shaking until your cocktail glass is more than half full (if your hand gets too cold, wrap a kitchen towel around the shaker!).
Top with spicy ginger beer, fresh lemon juice and soda water. Stir to combine.
Garnish your Smoked Peach Maple Bourbon Smash with a grilled peach segment, a sprig of fresh thyme and / or edible flowers.