Blackberry Bourbon Smash

Looking for a standout bourbon cocktail? This blackberry bourbon smash is refreshing and perfect for the holidays, with blackberries, lime and fresh mint.

Ready for an incredibly refreshing and flavorful bourbon drink? Discover the blackberry bourbon smash. We had a vodka version of this drink at a local restaurant and immediately wanted to try it at home. It’s tangy with lime juice, slightly sweet with berries and a little maple syrup, and moist with bourbon. Add a little soda water and it rounds out the flavor, then serve with crushed ice! It’s as flavorful and lighter than so many bourbon cocktails. Ready to start?

Related: Blackberry Margarita

What is a bourbon smash?

First things first: what is a bourbon smash? A smash is a fruity, frozen cocktail recipe that often features seasonal fruits or herbs. It’s made for hot days and can be made with the alcohol of your choice (vodka, bourbon, and whiskey all work). The Smash is very variable and flexible depending on the season. (Here’s more on the history of the cocktail smash.)

Mint is a classic choice to use in a smash, but other herbs can work. Blackberries are perfect for a smash as they add a subtle sweetness. If you like, you can dilute your smash a little or top it up with some sparkling water.

Other Smash Recipes We Love: Maple Bourbon Smash, Whiskey Smash, Vodka Berry Smash

What you need for that Blackberry Bourbon Smash

We used a few professional cocktail tools to make this blackberry bourbon cocktail. Of course, if you prefer, you can also use one of our alternatives that you may already have in your kitchen!

cocktail shaker

• Why do you need it: A cocktail shaker quickly chills cocktails by shaking them against ice, and then has a perforated lid so you can pour the cocktail without pouring in the ice as well.
• Buy it! 24 oz cocktail shaker
• Alternative: Use a glass jar. Pour the cocktail into the glass and fill with ice. Unscrew and shake!

Cocktail Muddler

• Why do you need it: A cocktail pestle is used to crush fruits and herbs in a glass or shaker to release their flavor.
• Buy it: Cocktail Muddler
• Alternative: Using a wooden spoon, gently mash the berries, lime wedges, and mint leaves.

Blackberry Bourbon Smash ingredients

Now, in addition to these cocktail tools, you only need a few ingredients for this blackberry bourbon cocktail smash. For our version, we used maple syrup instead of plain syrup. At A Couple Cooks we like to use natural sweeteners and not refined sugar in our drinks as we find it to be a sweeter sweetener and you can often find it locally. However, you can use plain syrup instead if you prefer!

Here are the Blackberry Bourbon Smash ingredients you need:

• bourbon
• blackberries
• lime
• Fresh mint
• maple syrup
• mineral water (optional)

To prepare the cocktail, simply puree the blackberries, lime, and mint, then add the bourbon and maple syrup. If you want to add some sparkling water, don’t hesitate: it really completes the taste!

What Kind of Bourbon Should I Buy?

Be sure to use the highest quality bourbon for this blackberry bourbon smash! The better the bourbon, the better the drink. The easiest way to tell if it’s high quality? Don’t buy the cheapest bourbon you can find. Try investing in a mid-range bourbon: the drink only tastes like the gin you invest in! (Fancy more with bourbon? Try our Bourbon Sour, Bourbon Hot Toddy and other great bourbon drinks.)

This Blackberry Bourbon Smash recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free and naturally sweetened.

Looking for more drink recipes?

Aside from this blackberry bourbon smash recipe, here are a few of our favorite drink recipes: