Mary Dowling Double Oak

Blackberry Smash

Introducing the Blackberry Smash, a cocktail that smolders the way Mary Dowling herself did — quiet on the surface, fire just beneath. Built on the rich, caramel-deep character of Mary Dowling's Double Oak Bourbon, this late-summer pour folds together muddled blackberries, fresh lemon, and a whisper of smoked simple syrup, finished with a scorched rosemary sprig that releases its oils with every sip. The blackberries bring jammy sweetness. The lemon brings spark. The rosemary smoke brings memory — of fields burned and rebuilt, of bourbon that survived to be poured again. Sip slow. Pour bold. A toast to the women who turn fire into flavor.

Ingredients:

2 oz MD Double Oak
3 fresh blackberries, plus 1 for garnish
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
¼ oz smoked simple syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Crushed ice

Garnish:

A fresh blackberry, a scorched rosemary sprig, and a sugared rim.

Instructions

1. Rim a rocks glass with sugar and set aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle 3 blackberries to release their juice.
3. Add the MD Double Oak, lemon juice, smoked simple syrup, and Angostura bitters.
4. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds.
5. Strain into the sugar-rimmed glass over fresh crushed ice.
6. Light the tip of a rosemary sprig with a kitchen torch until it smolders, then place it in the glass alongside a single blackberry.
7. Serve immediately, while the rosemary smoke still curls.