Smoked Rose Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/13/21
Smoked Rose Scotch Whisky Cocktail

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Syrup: 60 mins
Total: 63 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The smoked rose is a fabulous scotch cocktail that brings a different smoky flavor into the mix. It's an aromatic delight and a brilliant new way to enjoy your favorite whisky.

This recipe comes from The Famous Grouse. It features one the brand's signature blended scotch expressions, Smoky Black, which you may know better as The Black Grouse (it was recently rebranded). The scotch offers a nice smoky, sweet background for this cocktail and it's highly recommended that you stick with it.

The other "smoke" in the cocktail comes from burning a dried sprig of rosemary to flavor the glass. It will not only add to the drink's flavor but also fill the room with an inviting aroma that is guaranteed to capture the attention of everyone present.

To back that up, rosemary syrup sweetens the cocktail and Green Chartreuse adds its alluring herbal array to the mix. Even if you don't smoke the rosemary, it's an enjoyable drink.

Ingredients

For the Rosemary Syrup:

  • 1 cup water

  • 1 cup sugar

  • 3 tablespoons rosemary

For the Cocktail:

  • 1 sprig dried rosemary

  • 2 ounces Scotch whisky

  • 1/2 ounce Green Chartreuse liqueur

  • 1/4 ounce rosemary syrup

Steps to Make It

Make the Rosemary Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a slow boil.

  3. Add the sugar and stir until it's entirely dissolved.

  4. Reduce the heat, add the rosemary, and cover the pan. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

  5. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool completely, keeping it covered.

  6. Strain out the rosemary and bottle the flavored syrup in a glass jar with a tight seal. It should be refrigerated and will keep for about 2 weeks.

Tips

  • The exact measurement of the rosemary is not vital. Rather than measuring out 3 tablespoons of the herb's leaves, you can simply toss a sprig (about 3 or 4 inches) into the syrup.
  • If you don't want to make the rosemary syrup, you can buy it.

Make the Smoked Rose Cocktail

  1. Smoke a coupe glass to flavor the inside: Light the dried rosemary sprig on fire, extinguish the flame, and place it inside the glass.

  2. In a mixing glass filled with ice, pour the scotch, Green Chartreuse, and rosemary syrup. Stir well.

  3. Strain into the smoked glass.

  4. Serve and enjoy.

How Strong Is a Smoked Rose Cocktail?

The rosemary syrup does very little to knock this drink's alcohol content down. It certainly doesn't help that Green Chartreuse outweighs the scotch at a whopping 110 proof. That boosts this drink to a full-flavored 33 percent ABV (66 proof), making it one of the strongest cocktails you can mix up.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
204 Calories
1g Fat
5g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 204
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 5g 2%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg 10%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 32mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)