Blackberry Smash
A fresh, full-bodied smash of bourbon, blackberries and mint, topped with lively soda water.
Ingredients
- Bourbon60 ml
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed22 ml
- Blackberry, for muddling6 pieces
- Mint, for muddling7 leaves
- Simple syrup (1 part Sugar, 1 part Water)22 ml
- Soda watertop up
- Mint, for garnish (optional)1 sprig
- Lemon, for garnish (optional)1 wedge
- Blackberry, for garnish (optional)3 pieces
Method
- Gently muddle the blackberries, mint leaves and lemon juice in a shaker — enough to release juice and aroma, without tearing the mint to pieces.
- Add the bourbon and simple syrup, fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake hard for 15–20 seconds.
- Strain, or pour unstrained for a more rustic texture, into a glass with ice cubes.
- Top with soda water to your desired level of fizz.
- Garnish with a mint sprig, a lime wedge and a few extra blackberries.
About this drink
The Smash family comes from 19th-century America, where mint and sugar were muddled with spirits over ice — a simple, cooling drink for hot afternoons. Bartenders later added fruit such as blackberries for colour and sweetness, and the Blackberry Smash is one of the most popular modern variations. It combines bourbon’s caramel and spice with the berries’ tart sweetness and mint’s freshness, rounded out with a sparkling splash of soda water.
Questions and answers
Why should you take care when muddling mint?
Press the mint too hard and you tear the leaves and release bitter notes from the stems — a few light presses are enough to draw out the oils. The same goes for the blackberries: muddle enough for juice, not purée.
Can you make a Blackberry Smash ahead?
Only partly. Berries and mint must be muddled just before serving, otherwise the mint oxidises and turns dark and bitter. You can measure the bourbon and syrup ahead, but muddle the fruit fresh and add ice and soda water to each glass at the end.
