This Whiskey Ice Hack Is Delicious. And It’s Made on Your Grill

This fun weekend project can take your homemade cocktails and neat pours to new levels of flavor.

Published May 30, 2024

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Updated June 1, 2024

After a long day of salmon fishing off Alaska’s southern coast, a strong drink at Steamboat Bay Fishing Club was a warm welcome. When my Lagavulin neat order showed up with a cube of ice, I thought little of it.

But then, as I sipped the Scotch, its smokiness became more smoky. It was delicious. The ice didn’t just dilute my drink; it added another layer of smoke and spice without overwhelming the whisky’s already great flavors.

What I was actually drinking was the lodge’s Chef de Cuisine at the time, Katherine Cook’s recipe for smoked ice, which she regularly used to spice up the lodge’s cocktails and whiskeys.

TOOLS FOR MAKING SMOKED ICED

Cook’s recipe is simple enough to make, and a nice touch for both cocktails and your favorite whiskey — whether you’re returning from a long day baiting hooks on the water or just a long day in the office. While it’s technically doable in a single day, we recommend treating it as a small weekend project for the best results.

This is the equipment list you’ll need on hand to make smoked iced at home.

Egg smoker or similar grill
13 x 9-inch baking pan
Lumpwood charcoal
Coffee filter
Large pot

HOW TO MAKE SMOKED ICED

STEP 1: SOAK WOOD CHIPS IN WATER

Fill a 13 x 9-inch baking pan (one you don’t mind being burned) halfway with wood chips — preferably applewood. Fill halfway with water. Soak the wood chips in water 1-2 hours minimum, or overnight.

STEP 2: FIRE UP YOUR GRILL

Ideally you should cook used lump wood charcoal in an egg smoker, but most any charcoal grill will work. Drain the water from the wood chip pan, then cover the pan with foil and poke holes on top. (The foil is to release the smoke more slowly and evenly for a better flavor.) Place the pan of wood chips directly onto the bed of coals.

STEP 3: FILL ANOTHER 13 X 9-INCH PAN WITH FRESH WATER

Replace the grill’s grating, then put the new pan of water atop it. Cover the grill and allow the water to smoke for one hour.

STEP 4: ONCE THE WATER IS SMOKED, FILTER, BOIL THEN FREEZE

Remove the pan of water from the grill and pour it through a coffee filter to remove ash and debris. Boiling condenses the water and makes it freeze clearly, making it better for fancy cocktails.

STEP 5: SERVE WITH YOUR FAVORITE SPIRIT

At Steamboat Bay, Cook used the cubes to add extra smokiness to Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, but Cook recommends it with any bourbon or whiskey.

Our favorite whisky to consider neat with a cube of smoked iced is Lagavulin 16.