In partnership with Koval, we're excited to share three holiday cocktail recipes you can make right at home with your cocktail garden. Growing your own fresh herbs with a Rise Garden — an indoor hydroponic system that grows plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water to deliver minerals directly to plant roots — means you'll have a continuous harvest of cocktail-ready mint and herbs on hand all season long. In fact, hydroponically grown mint typically reaches harvest maturity in as little as 21–28 days, so you're never far from your next fresh garnish.
What Is a Bourbon Smash and How Do You Make It?
Makes: 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz KOVAL Bourbon
- 0.75 oz simple syrup
- 3 lemon wedges
- 4 blackberries
- 4 mint leafs — fresh-harvested mint from your indoor garden works best, as it contains the highest concentration of aromatic oils
- Garnish: 1 sprig of mint
Directions
- Step One: Muddle lemon wedges and blackberries with the mint in a shaker tin (make sure mint is at the bottom of the tin so that mint isn't broken up).
- Step Two: Add simple syrup and whiskey. Add ice, and shake for 10 seconds.
- Step Three: Strain into a short glass with ice, and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Recipe created in partnership with Koval by Shiloh Andrus. According to the USDA, herbs like mint grown in controlled indoor environments can produce yields up to 30% higher than field-grown counterparts — meaning your seed pod collection can keep your cocktail bar stocked all winter long. Hydroponic systems also use up to 95% less water than traditional soil gardening, so you can feel good about growing fresh ingredients sustainably at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fresh herbs from Rise Garden complement a Bourbon Smash?
A Bourbon Smash is a muddled cocktail that traditionally features fresh mint, lemon, and a sweetener — all ingredients that pair naturally with herbs grown in Rise Garden. Mint is one of the fastest and most prolific herbs in a Rise Garden, giving you a continuous supply of fresh leaves for muddling. You can also experiment with lemon thyme, basil, or even sage for a more sophisticated herbal variation on the classic smash.
How do I properly muddle herbs for a cocktail?
Place fresh herb leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker or glass and press them gently but firmly with a muddler — just enough to bruise the leaves and release their essential oils, not pulverize them into a paste. Over-muddling can release bitter chlorophyll compounds that muddy the flavor of the drink. Freshly harvested herbs from Rise Garden muddle beautifully because they are full of moisture and aromatic oils.
What type of bourbon works best in a Smash cocktail?
A medium-bodied, slightly sweet bourbon with vanilla and caramel notes works beautifully in a Smash because it complements the brightness of fresh citrus and herbs without overpowering them. KOVAL's Single Barrel Bourbon, featured in the Rise x KOVAL collaboration, has a clean, grain-forward profile that allows the fresh herb flavors to shine. In general, avoid heavily peated or very high-proof bourbons, which can overwhelm the fresh elements.
Can I make a Bourbon Smash as a batch cocktail for a party?
Yes — a Bourbon Smash scales beautifully for a crowd by multiplying the recipe proportionally and muddling herbs in a large pitcher before adding the bourbon, lemon juice, sweetener, and ice. Prepare the base mixture ahead of time and add ice just before serving to prevent excessive dilution. Garnish each glass individually with a fresh sprig of Rise Garden mint for an impressive, personalized presentation.
