Cannabis-Infused "Ember Hour" Smoked Old Fashioned
A Note on Dosing: This recipe makes 2 cocktails. We calculate based on a 15% THC flower. You must calculate your own dose based on your cannabis potency. This is a slow-sipping, contemplative nightcap—a sophisticated infusion meant to be enjoyed over conversation. Effects are pronounced; savor responsibly.
Approximate Dose (using 0.3g of 15% THC flower): ~11mg THC per cocktail. This lower dose accounts for the alcohol potentiating effects. Adjust your cannabis amount for desired potency.
---
Step 1: The Cannabis-Infused Smoked Simple Syrup
Ingredients:
· 0.3 grams cannabis flower (choose a strain with woody, spicy, or citrus notes)
· 1/2 cup demerara sugar or raw cane sugar
· 1/2 cup water
· 1 strip of orange zest (no pith)
· Optional: 1 tsp whole allspice berries or a small piece of star anise for complexity
Decarboxylation Method:
1. Preheat oven to 225°F (107°C).
2. Finely grind cannabis flower and spread on parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool completely.
Infusion Method:
1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, orange zest, and optional spices.
2. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar is completely dissolved.
3. Reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Add the decarboxylated cannabis.
4. Steep for 20 minutes, ensuring the syrup does not simmer. It should be hot but not boiling.
5. Remove from heat and let cool for another 10 minutes with the cannabis still in it.
6. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with an unbleached coffee filter into a glass jar or bottle.
7. This is your Cannabis-Infused Smoked Syrup. Let cool completely. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
---
Step 2: The Smoked Glass & Assembly
Ingredients for Two Cocktails:
· 4 oz (120ml) premium bourbon or rye whiskey
· 1 oz (30ml) of your Cannabis-Infused Smoked Syrup
· 4 dashes Angostura or aromatic bitters
· 2 large, high-quality orange peels (for garnish)
· 2 Luxardo maraschino cherries (for garnish)
· Smoking element: 1 tsp of applewood, cherrywood, or hickory smoking chips. Cedar plank shavings are a sublime, aromatic alternative.
Equipment:
· Cocktail mixing glass
· Bar spoon or long spoon
· Hawthorne strainer
· Two Old Fashioned glasses
· A smoking gun, food smoker, or a small, stable dish + culinary torch (for the smoking method)
· A small plate or coaster to trap smoke
Method:
1. Smoke the Glasses (The Ritual):
· Place your smoking chips or cedar shavings in a small, heatproof dish.
· Using a culinary torch, ignite the chips until they begin to smolder and produce smoke. Immediately extinguish any open flame.
· OR use a smoking gun following its instructions to fill a glass with smoke.
· Invert one Old Fashioned glass over the smoking chips (or fill with smoke gun). Trap the smoke inside by placing a small plate or coaster over the top. Let it infuse for 1-2 minutes. Repeat for the second glass.
2. Build the Cocktail:
· In your mixing glass, combine the whiskey, Cannabis-Infused Smoked Syrup, and bitters.
· Add a large ice cube or several smaller ones. Stir slowly and deliberately for 25-30 seconds until well-chilled and properly diluted.
3. The Final Presentation:
· Uncover the smoke-filled glasses. Add one large, clear ice cube to each.
· Strain the stirred cocktail over the ice into the smoked glasses.
· Express a large orange peel over each drink: hold it over the glass, skin side down, and pinch it to release its oils. Rub the peel around the rim, then drop it into the drink.
· Garnish with a Luxardo cherry on a cocktail pick.
---
Safety & Consumption
CRITICAL NOTES:
⚠️ POTENT COMBINATION: Alcohol can intensify the effects of THC. This is a slow-sipping drink, not a shot. Space consumption over 30-60 minutes.
⚠️ LABEL CLEARLY: Mark the syrup bottle "CONTAINS CANNABIS - INFUSED".
⚠️ COMMUNICATE: Ensure both drinkers know the cocktail is infused. The dose is in the syrup.
⚠️ DO NOT DRIVE: This is a dedicated nightcap experience.
⚠️ START LOW: With only 0.3g of flower, this is a moderate dose, but individual tolerance varies greatly.
---
Romantic Presentation:
Serve on a leather tray or wooden board with:
· The two smoked cocktails
· A small carafe of cool water
· A dish of dark chocolate squares or roasted nuts
· The bottle of Cannabis-Infused Smoked Syrup presented alongside for reference
The experience is multi-sensory: the visual of the trapped smoke clearing, the aroma of wood and orange, the deep flavor of whiskey and cannabis, and the gentle, warming elevation that follows.