Fig and Thyme Bourbon Smash

Before you start

A smash is a loose family of muddled, shaken drinks served over crushed ice, usually with spirit, citrus, sugar and a fresh herb. This original version uses soft, jammy late-summer figs and woody thyme with bourbon, whose vanilla and caramel notes suit the fruit. Honey syrup ties the earthy flavors together, and a little lemon keeps the drink from tasting like dessert.

Ripeness decides almost everything. A fig that gives under light pressure, with a slightly wrinkled skin and a glossy, deep-colored interior, muddles into a thick, flavorful pulp; a firm fig adds little but texture. Press the thyme gently with the fruit rather than grinding it, since bruised stems turn bitter, then fine-strain so the seeds and skin stay in the shaker.

Ingredients

• 2 small or 1 large ripe fresh figs — stems removed, quartered (about 60 g)
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs — plus 1 for garnish
• 15 ml (½ oz) honey syrup — equal parts honey and warm water
• 20 ml (⅔ oz) fresh lemon juice
• 60 ml (2 oz) bourbon — around 45% ABV
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 1½ cups crushed ice — for serving
• 1 thin slice fresh fig — optional garnish

Method

1. Drop the fig quarters, three thyme sprigs and honey syrup into the bottom of the shaker tin.
2. Press with the muddler using 6 to 8 firm, twisting strokes until the figs are broken into a coarse jam. Keep the thyme leaves mostly intact; you want their oils, not shredded stems.
3. Add the lemon juice and bourbon. Fill the shaker two-thirds with ice cubes and shake hard for 10 seconds.
4. Pack the rocks glass with crushed ice, mounding it slightly above the rim.
5. Double-strain the drink through the Hawthorne and fine strainers over the crushed ice, pressing the fruit gently to release the last of the juice.
6. Top up with a little more crushed ice. Slap the remaining thyme sprig between your palms to wake its aroma, and tuck it in beside a thin fig slice.

Tips for success

• Taste a fig before you start. Very sweet, honeyed figs may need only 10 ml of honey syrup.
• Crushed ice dilutes fast, which suits a strong bourbon. If you use a lower-proof bourbon, serve over large cubes instead.
• Green-skinned and purple figs both work. Purple varieties give the drink a deeper rosy color.

Substitutions

Fresh figs

1 tbsp of good fig jam works out of season. It is sweeter, so cut the honey syrup to 5 ml, and shake extra hard to dissolve the jam.

Thyme

Rosemary is stronger and piney; use one small sprig. Sage gives a savory, earthy drink that pairs well with fig.

Bourbon

Rye adds spice and dryness. Aged rum makes a softer, sweeter smash with tropical notes.

Variations

Fig and thyme highball

Muddle and shake as written, strain into a tall glass over ice cubes and top with 60 ml of ginger ale.

Troubleshooting

The drink tastes bitter and grassy

The thyme was over-muddled. Press the herb gently along with the fruit, and never grind the stems.

It tastes thin and only lightly fruity

The figs were underripe. Use soft, fragrant fruit, or add a teaspoon of fig jam to boost flavor.

Seeds and skin end up in the glass

Use a fine strainer along with the Hawthorne. Fig seeds are tiny and slip through a single strainer.

Storage

Serve immediately; muddled fresh fruit drinks do not hold. Store whole ripe figs in the refrigerator and use them within 2 to 3 days. Refrigerate honey syrup in a sealed jar and use it within about 1 month, discarding it if it turns cloudy or crystallizes heavily.

Safety notes

Contains 60 ml of roughly 45% ABV bourbon, about 1.5 U.S. standard drinks (a standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). For adults of legal drinking age only; never drink and drive.