Smoke Dust Flavors Taste Test- Flavor Profiles, 11 Captivating Cocktail Pairings, and Delicious Extras!

So, you just ordered your Smokeshow Starter Bundle and it came with 4 flavors of Smoke Dust in Apple, Bourbon Barrel, Cherry, and Hickory. A common question we get is “Which flavor do I use? What does it taste like?” and so on. The best answer we always have is to experiment! Everyone has different taste buds, likes and dislikes, so it is up to you how you enjoy your Smokeshow. With that being said, let me give you a headstart on how to decide which smoke dust to use. I will even discuss our Herbs and Spices line because those add a completely different level of flavor! Since launching in 2021, we have added 8 new smoke dusts to our line!

To start, our Smoke Dust is finely milled wood chips sourced in the USA from a small company located in Texas. This company mills wood for various restaurants to use in their smokers for barbecue- oh my now I am craving brisket! Anyways, each flavor is derived from the tree that supplies the wood.

A common misconception is that our Smoke Dust will taste like Apple or taste like Cherry. While this would be great if it did, the wood chips are just derived from the tree species- we don’t flavor the wood chips because there could be harmful chemical additions added to the wood in order to give that flavor profile, and we feel it is best to leave those out!

So, Apple comes from apple trees, Cherry from cherry trees, hickory from Hickory trees, and finally, we’ve arrived at Bourbon Barrel. Of course, there isn’t a Bourbon tree ( if there was, sign me up!) haha! But Bourbon Barrel is derived from an Oak tree. This wood is finely milled like the rest but then soaked in bourbon to give it the bourbon essence.

Apple Smoke Dust

Let’s start with Apple! It is the lightest of the 4 flavors of smoke dust we have. Coming from finely milled apple trees, it pairs well with fruity cocktails, martinis, etc. Quite frankly, it is one of the easiest dusts we have to pair with all spirits, cocktails, wine, beer, etc! Smoke a bourbon neat, pair it with your gin & tonic, or add it to your appletini! Here is a great recipe using Apple Smoke Dust: Spring Floral Jack Daniels Cocktail.

Bourbon Barrel Smoke Dust

Next up, is Bourbon Barrel. This is by far the MOST popular smoke dust that we sell! We go through more Bourbon Barrel than any of the other flavors! This Smoke dust pairs best with bourbon cocktails to enhance the flavor of the bourbon as well as bourbon neat or on the rocks! Here is a delicious and easy recipe using Bourbon Barrel: Smoked Honey Sage Bourbon.

Cherry Smoke Dust

Now, we’re on to Cherry. Cherry won’t taste like a cherry since it is just derived from the wood of a cherry tree, but also pairs well on the fruity side of cocktails! Works great with all spirits, but Cherry is going to produce a slightly stronger smokier flavor than Apple. Here is a recipe to get you started with cherry: Smoked Amaretto Bourbon.

Hickory Smoke Dust

Finally, HICKORY! Hickory is the strongest and smokiest flavor profile of smoke. It is for those that really want that smoky addition to their beverage! Use this with cocktails or spirits that have a big flavor profile! A strong margarita calls for a strong smoke dust: Spicy Margarita

Maple Smoke Dust

Crafted from the finest maple wood chips sourced from the maple tree, this smoke dust brings a touch of natural sweetness and smoky depth to your favorite cocktails. Try this Old Fashioned!

Mesquite Smoke Dust

Mesquite Smoke Dust is our smokiest flavor profile of smoke dusts! I would say it is closest to our Hickory smoke dust! It has an earthy and slightly nutty flavor profile- it is bold! Mesquite will pair nicely with cocktails that contain bourbon and fruity bourbon cocktails! It will also mix well with many of our other smoke dusts to create your own concoction!

Herbs and Spices Smoke Dust

Let’s move on to Herbs and Spices! These are in addition to our regular Smoke Dusts, and can be purchased here! These are great for someone who already has the regular dusts and wants to continue to amp up those flavors! We sell Cinnamon, Lavender, Lemon Peel, Rosemary, and Thyme. Now, you may be thinking, “why would I not just buy them from my local grocery store?”….The truth is, you can BUT we sell ours in a 4 oz container compared to most grocery stores that overcharge for barely one ounce of the ingredients. With ours, you get more bang for your buck! We are continually expanding this line and have more Herbs and Spices on the way! Woohoo!

Cinnamon Smoke Dust

Cinnamon was our first release. It is not ground cinnamon or cinnamon sticks, but more so “pebbles” of Cinnamon. Let me tell you, it smells amazing. Cinnamon Smoke Dust goes great with bourbon neat and cocktails on the sweeter side! Think Espresso martini, White Russian, etc. Try this: Chocolate & Fig Old Fashioned

Rosemary Smoke Dust

Rosemary is up next! Rosemary Smoke Dust is my absolute favorite of the Herbs and Spices because it adds such an herbaceous flavor profile to the cocktails!  It pairs well with cocktails on the fruity side! Think Negroni! My Favorite Rosemary Recipe: Rosemary Grapefruit Moscow Mule

Lavender smoke dust

Lavender smoke dust is good with cocktails with citrus and lighter spirits like gin and vodka, especially lemon. It adds a floral note to cocktails.

Also, it’s good with lattes! And it’s perfect to smoke and then make a simple syrup with the smoked granules. Try this recipe: Rosemary & Lavender Gimlet

Lemon Peel Smoke Dust

Next up is Lemon Peel! Lemon Peel is perfect for spring and summer cocktails. It even goes great in the fall with cocktails using cranberries. Lemon Peel Smoke Dust tastes great with tequila-forward cocktails and sour cocktails. Palomas, margaritas, whiskey sours, (and so many more) are great with it! Try this Lemon Peel recipe: Pomegranate & Ginger Cocktail

Grapefruit Smoke Dust

Our newest addition to the smoke dust line is our Grapefruit smoke dust! Grapefruit is another one of our “peel” dusts. Grapefruit adds a tanginess to your cocktails and makes the fruity flavors shine through! Give it a try with this recipe: Salty Dog.

Thyme Smoke Dust

Finally, we have arrived at one of our strongest flavored smoke dusts, Thyme! Thyme is such an earthy and distinct flavor, that it requires a strong cocktail to go alongside it! Thyme Smoke Dust is great with citrus-forward or savory cocktails! Old Fashioned anyone? Or try one of our most popular cocktails, the Cranberry Bourbon Sour.

I hope this gives you a better understanding of the smoke dusts we have to offer and how to pair each one. Again, it is up to you, though! Experiment with different dusts and cocktails to find out your favorite flavor profile.

But wait! There’s more! We are continuously adding more smoke dusts to our family! If you want more content, find our Youtube channel and follow the videos here!