Clermont Smash
Bourbon, muddled peach, lemon, sugar and mint over cracked ice. A peach whiskey smash named for Jim Beam's hometown — the directory's version of a Kentucky menu name, in the Whiskey Smash's build.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Muddle the peach slices and lemon wedges in a shaker with the simple syrup.
Add the mint leaves and press gently, then add the bourbon.
Fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds.
Strain over cracked ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a slapped mint sprig and a peach slice.
A thoughtful finish
- A ripe peach; a hard one gives colour and no flavour.
- Muddle the peach and lemon hard, the mint gently.
- Double strain for a cleaner drink.
Common mistakes
- Canned peaches in syrup.
- Shredding the mint.
- Too much syrup with a ripe peach.
A few good questions.
What does a Clermont Smash taste like?
Bourbon with ripe peach, lemon and mint over ice — a summer Whiskey Smash.
Is this a classic?
No; it is a Kentucky menu name for a peach bourbon smash, and this is the directory's version.
Why Clermont?
The home of the Jim Beam distillery.
Rye or bourbon?
Bourbon; its sweetness suits the peach.
Variations
- Whiskey Smash — Bourbon, lemon, sugar and mint.
- Cherry Smash — Bourbon, cherries, lemon and mint.
- Georgia Julep — Cognac, peach brandy and mint.
- Mint Julep — Bourbon, mint and sugar over crushed ice.
Where it comes from
c. 2010s · Clermont, Kentucky
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Clermont, Kentucky, is the home of the Jim Beam distillery, and a ‘Clermont Smash’ turns up on Kentucky bar menus and distillery-visitor recipes as a peach-and-mint bourbon smash, the summer drink of the bourbon trail. There is no single published recipe under this name; it is a menu name that bars use for a family of drinks, and the version here is the directory’s own, built from the classic it riffs on. It takes Dale DeGroff’s Whiskey Smash — bourbon, lemon wedges, sugar and mint, muddled and shaken over ice — and muddles a ripe peach in with the lemon, which is the Georgia Julep’s fruit on a Kentucky drink. A ripe peach needs little sugar; a hard one needs more and gives less.
Sources
- Dale DeGroff, The Craft of the Cocktail, 2002 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Peach Smash, 2012 (reference)
- Susan Reigler, The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book, 2009 (book)
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 23.5% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
A keeper?
Save this drink for your next cocktail hour.
Saved in this browser.The next great drink
might already be on your shelf.
Choose your bottles and mixers. Discover what you can make.