Smoked Saskatoon Rye Whisky Flip Cocktail

You’re going to FLIP for this smoky spin on a Whisky Flip Cocktail. Delicious and tart, smoky and complex, this Smoked Saskatoon Rye Whisky Flip is absolutely perfect for holiday entertaining. Sprinkle a little cinnamon or fresh ground nutmeg on top for an extra festive treat. 

*I was absolutely thrilled when Breville Canada sent me one of their smoking guns to play with. This is one fun cooking tool to play with and I can’t wait to do more smoky experiments with food and cocktails. As always, this opinion is my own. 

Smoking isn’t just for Chicken Thighs and, ribs, and Burgers anymore. It’s fun to experiment with salads such as this Smoked Cherry Grilled Radicchio Salad, cheese, and cocktails.

My Whisky Flip Cocktail Inspiration

This Smoked Saskatoon Whisky Flip contains all the flavours that I love in a cocktail and is perfect for late autumn/winter evenings.

At first glance, it may seem like there are a few intense flavours. However, one sip and you’ll love how they play together on your palate.

This flip cocktail is creamy like egg nog, but has delicious smoky berry flavours accented by a hint of cinnamon. 

Where Did the Flip Cocktail Originate?

A ‘flip’ is a classic cocktail with a storied 300 year history.  Originally it was warm concoction consisting of beer, molasses, and rum drunk by sailors at sea.

This fortifying mixture was mixed with eggs, then passed back and forth between containers so that it became frothy. Soon after the cocktail arrived on the shores of America, where it was often heated with an iron fireplace rod instead of in a ship’s galley.

This newer heating method most likely lent a bitter, or smoky dimension to the cocktail. 

The Modern Day Flip Cocktail

Fast forward to ‘modern times’ in the late 1800’s when more familiar Flip Cocktail versions appeared. The drink was served chilled and consisted of a whole beaten egg, sugar, and some sort of spirit or fortified wine.

There were many versions including those made with brandy, rum, gin, bourbon or whisky, port, brandy, and sherry. Many of these versions are still popular to this day. 

How to Make a Great Flip Cocktail

When creating any cocktail recipe, there are several factors to consider. The drink must be well balanced, harmonious, and it must leave you wanting more.

For a Flip Cocktail, the texture must be smooth and luxurious, similar to an egg nog. The best way to get that creamy texture is to aerate the cocktail in a stainless steel Boston shaker. 

First, we start with a ‘dry shake’. That is, all the ingredients are placed in the shaker and given a vigorous shake sans ice.

Next, ice is added to the shaker for the second, or ‘wet’ shake. For most cocktails 12 seconds of shaking is ideal, however, for textural cocktails made with eggs or cream 30 seconds is a good rule of thumb.

Remember, this cocktail requires an aerated texture! 

A Word on Smoking Cocktails with a Smoking Gun

During a chat with a local bartender, I learned that having a fat or protein component in a cocktail ensures that the smoke molecules have something to cling to.

He also encouraged me to experiment using two different smoking methods; both internal and external. If you prefer a cocktail with a good measure of smoke, insert the end of the tube directly into the cocktail just before you dry shake it.

Alternatively, for just a hint of smoke, use a smoking cloche (or adequately sized trifle bowl) and allow the cocktail to sit hidden by smoke for a minute or two.