This Smash Is Summer in a Glass

If you could take some of the classic summer sensory memories—smoke from a charcoal grill, the sweetness of perfectly ripe pineapple, the fresh notes of herbs from the garden—and stir them into a Collins glass, you’d have the Charred Garden Smash.

“This cocktail is an exercise in contrast,” says creator Kendall Salgado, bar manager and beverage director at Current Charcoal Grill in Birmingham, Alabama. “The initial sip is bright and tropical, driven by the pineapple and lime, but it quickly gives way to a sophisticated, earthy finish. The light peat smoke from the whisky creates a charred effect that grounds the sweetness of the falernum and pineapple, resulting in a crisp cocktail with surprising depth and a silky, refreshing, spice-flecked texture.”

It’s ideal for serving at a barbecue or for shaking up on any hot day. The layered ice technique—regular cubes on the bottom and pebbles on top—slows the overall dilution while ensuring an intensely cold sip from the start, so every taste quenches your thirst.

Charred Garden Smash

• 4-5 fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 oz. Suntory Toki Black (or other lightly peated Japanese whisky)
• 3/4 oz. John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum
• 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 1 pinch sea salt
• Dehydrated lime wheel and fresh pineapple frond or basil sprig for garnish

Add basil to a Collins glass and gently press to release oils. Add remaining ingredients to a shaker with ice. Shake well for about 10 seconds, then strain into prepared glass. Fill glass with fresh ice and use a barspoon to gently agitate basil leaves so they distribute throughout the drink. Garnish with lime wheel and pineapple frond or basil sprig.