How to Use a Whiskey Smoker, Step by Step

How to use a whiskey smoker: the short version

1. Pour the drink. For neat whisky, about 50 ml is plenty.
2. Put the smoker top firmly on the glass.
3. Add a small pinch of wood chips, just enough to loosely cover the bottom of the chamber.
4. Light the chips with the torch, moving the flame across them for a few seconds.
5. Stop as soon as the wood is glowing and giving off a steady stream of smoke.
6. Leave the top on for 20 to 40 seconds for neat whisky, or 30 to 60 seconds for an Old Fashioned.
7. Lift the top off, give the drink a few seconds, and taste.

That is all there is to it. The rest of this guide is what I learned getting there, including the mistakes.

How a whiskey smoker works

A whiskey smoker burns a small amount of wood and traps the smoke over your drink. With a smoke lid like mine, the wooden top sits on the glass, you light the chips in the centre, and the smoke is drawn down into the glass. It stays there, sitting above the whisky, until you lift the top off.

What it changes most is the aroma, more than the taste. I'll come back to that.

The kit I used

I used the Aged & Charred Smoke Lid Kit with torch. It is the traditional type of whiskey smoker rather than an electric one, and I chose it because it is simple. It is compact, there is very little to set up, and you have a lot of control over how much smoke goes into the drink.

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You can use more or less wood, change how long you hold the torch on it and leave the smoke in the glass for as long as you like. As I found out quickly, those small changes make a big difference.

If you haven't bought a smoker yet, our guide to the best whiskey smoker kits compares the torch, electric and gift options.

My first session, step by step

For my first proper attempt I kept things simple. I poured about 50 ml of whisky into a tumbler and left it neat, with no ice, so I could tell what the smoker itself was adding.

I put the smoker firmly over the glass and added a small pinch of wood chips to the middle. You really don't need much. I used just enough to loosely cover the bottom of the chamber, without filling it or packing the wood down.

Then I lit the chips with the butane torch. Rather than holding the flame in one spot, I moved it around the surface for a few seconds. Once the wood was glowing and giving off a steady amount of smoke, I stopped.

The smoke travelled down into the glass surprisingly quickly. Once there was a good amount inside, I left the top on for 30 to 45 seconds, lifted it off, gave the whisky a few more seconds and tried it.

What smoked whisky tastes like

To compare properly, I poured two glasses of the same whisky, smoked one and left the other alone.

The difference was noticeable, but not quite what I expected. The biggest change was on the nose. As soon as you bring the glass towards you, you get wood smoke before you've taken a sip, and that changes the drink straight away.

On the palate the effect was there but more subtle. It doesn't turn an ordinary whisky into something like a heavily peated Islay Scotch. It adds a toasted, woody character around the flavours that are already there. Used sensibly, you're not replacing the whisky's character, you're adding a layer to it.

If it's real peat smoke you're after, a smoker won't give you that. Try a lightly peated whisky instead.

Smoking an Old Fashioned

This is where I enjoyed the smoker most. The sugar, bitters and orange already give you strong flavours to work with, and the wood smoke fitted into the drink naturally. It became part of the cocktail rather than something added on top.

Make the drink first, then smoke it. If you're using a large ice cube, add it afterwards, or swap it for a fresh one, rather than smoking the ice. For the recipe, see our guide to 5 whisky cocktails you can make today.

How much wood to use, and which

You need far less wood than you think. For one drink I now use a small pinch, enough to loosely cover the bottom of the chamber. There is no reason to fill it.

The kit came with several types of wood chips, so I tried a few:

• Oak is the easiest place to start with whisky. It gives a familiar toasted-wood smell that makes sense alongside something that has spent years in a barrel.
• Apple and cherry are lighter and sweeter, and I found they work particularly well in cocktails.
• Some of the stronger woods can overpower the drink quickly, especially if you use too much.

If I were starting again, I'd use oak and a very small amount, then adjust. The amount of wood and the smoking time make a bigger difference than the type, so get those right before you experiment with different woods.

How long to smoke whisky

There's no single right answer. It depends on the smoker, the wood and how much smoke you want. From my own attempts, these are sensible starting points:

Don't start by leaving a glass in smoke for minutes. It's easy to smoke the next one a bit longer, and impossible to take a burnt flavour back out of a drink you've already made.

The mistakes I made the first time

I assumed more smoke meant more flavour. It's the obvious thing to do with a new smoker, and it's what I did. I used too many chips and kept the torch on them too long. The glass filled with thick smoke and looked great. The first sip had a harsh, burnt edge. It wasn't undrinkable, but the smoke was taking over the whisky. On the second attempt I used fewer chips, stopped the flame as soon as the wood was smoking and left the top on for about 30 seconds. That was enough to notice without overpowering the drink.

I was too aggressive with the torch. Go at the chips too hard and small pieces of charred wood start moving around the chamber. A few controlled seconds is enough.

I underestimated how hot it gets. The wooden part was fine to handle, but the metal around the chamber stays hot for a while afterwards. Leave it a few minutes before you empty the chips.

Using a whiskey smoker safely

You're still dealing with an open flame and burning wood, so:

• Treat the butane torch as a real torch, not just another bar accessory. Keep your fingers away from the flame and the metal chamber.
• Stand the glass on a stable, non-flammable surface rather than holding it while you light the chips.
• Make sure the torch flame is fully out before you put it down.
• Let the chips cool before binning them. They can keep glowing after the flame is off.
• Don't use it directly under a smoke alarm.
• One drink won't fill the room, but several in a small kitchen will build up, so open a window.

Does a whiskey smoker actually work?

Yes, as long as you're realistic about what "work" means. It won't turn an ordinary bottle into a peated Scotch. For me the biggest effect is on the aroma: when you lift the top and bring the glass up with smoke still swirling inside, the wood smoke reaches you before the whisky does. There is a smoky, toasted character on the palate too, especially if you leave the smoke in a little longer. But the aroma and the ritual are a big part of the appeal.

I wouldn't smoke every whisky I drink. With an expensive bottle with delicate flavours, I'd want to try it as intended first. With a familiar whisky I've had many times, smoke gives me a genuinely different way of drinking it. And for cocktails the case is stronger. The Old Fashioned was easily my favourite use, and it's where I'd use the smoker most.

It makes most sense for people who like experimenting, make Old Fashioneds and other spirit-forward cocktails, or enjoy hosting. It's also a good present for someone who already has the usual glasses, stones and decanters. Our bourbon gifts for men guide has more ideas along those lines.

FAQ

How do you use a whiskey smoker?

Put the smoker on the glass, add a small pinch of wood chips, light them with the torch for a few seconds until they smoke steadily, then leave the top on for 20 to 40 seconds before lifting it and drinking.

How does a whiskey smoker work?

It burns a small amount of wood and traps the smoke over the drink. With a smoke lid, the smoke is drawn down into the glass and sits above the whisky until you lift the top off.

Do whiskey smokers work?

Yes. The biggest effect is on the aroma, with a subtler toasted, woody note on the palate. A smoker won't make whisky taste like a peated Scotch.

How long should you smoke whisky?

Start at 20 to 40 seconds for neat whisky and 30 to 60 seconds for an Old Fashioned. You can always smoke the next one for longer.

What wood chips are best for smoking whisky?

Oak is the easiest to start with. Apple and cherry are lighter and sweeter, and work well in cocktails. Use a small pinch whichever wood you choose.

Should you smoke whisky with ice?

Smoke the whisky first and add the ice afterwards, rather than smoking over the ice.