Modern: Smoked Sweet Home Sour

Name: Modern: Smoked Sweet Home Sour
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 small wood chip, such as apple, cherry, or pecan, for smoking; 1 small wood chip, such as apple, cherry, or pecan, for smoking; 1 small wood chip, such as apple, cherry, or pecan, for smoking; 1 small wood chip, such as apple, cherry, or pecan, for smoking; 2 ounces bourbon; ¾ ounce fresh lemon juice; ½ ounce Honey Simple Syrup, preferably made with Alabama honey; ½ ounce Honey Simple Syrup, preferably made with Alabama honey; 2 dashes toasted pecan or black walnut bitters, plus more for garnish; 2 dashes toasted pecan or black walnut bitters, plus more for garnish; ½ ounce egg white

Preparation info

Makes
1
Drink

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Spirits of '76

By Kim Laidlaw

Published 2026

About

A modern nod to some of Alabama’s favorite flavors, this cocktail combines bourbon, local honey, and toasted pecan bitters. The smoky finish captured from the wood chip elevates this smooth, Southern-inspired cocktail with layered complexity.

Ingredients

1 small wood chip, such as apple, cherry, or pecan, for smoking
2 ounces bourbon

Americas
United States
Alabama
Drinks
Vegetarian

Method

Place the wood chip on a small, flame-proof surface (such as a small cast-iron pan). Light the wood chip. When the chip begins to smoke, invert a chilled rocks glass over the burning wood chip to trap the smoke.

Meanwhile, make the cocktail. Add the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, bitters, and egg white to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Fill the shaker with i