Let’s be real here, whenever you’re at a bar, ordering a cocktail, and the bartender brings it to your table and smokes it, you’re impressed.
It feels like that elusive, mysterious art that you can’t replicate when making cocktails at home.
Well, we’re here to tell you that you absolutely can.
With these Old Fashioned Smoker Kits, you can give your whiskey cocktails that heavy, smokey flavor that defines the palate of the drink.
Here’s the thing: There’s a difference between a general “cocktail and food smoker” and a whiskey smoker. In this guide, we’ll recommend the best ones for whiskey in particular, based on rigorous testing.
We’d recommend staying away from the dome-style smokers used for cheese and meats and instead go for one that’ll infuse your drink rather than a whole covered area.
For your best whiskey smoker kits, look no further than this handy list we’ve compiled for you.
Note: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you purchase something we get a small commission at no cost to you.
This list is consistently updated as awesome new smokers come out. We’re constantly testing and researching to help you figure out which smokers are the best…and which ones aren’t.
When we hear of a great new one, we try it…and if it deserves a spot, we add it to the list.
The 8 Best Cocktail Smokers & Whiskey Smoker Kits in 2023
Best Overall: Aged and Charred
Best Budget: Bourbon Haze Cocktail Smoker Kit With Torch
Best Kit: Busy Bee 5-in-1 Cocktail Board
1. Aged and Charred
Price: $89.99
Pros: High-quality material, everything you need included, sleek design, portable
Cons: Expensive
Aged and charred is our top whiskey smoker kit. It’s an excellent choice, as they’ve also put a huge focus on smoking whiskey cocktails.
I don’t say this lightly. We’ve tested it out firsthand. It’s my personal favorite of all the ones I’ve tested.
Coming in at $89.99, this one also has an overall 4.9 star review score—showing it’s a quality investment designed to age like, well, bourbon in a barrel.
You can’t go wrong with Aged and Charred. It’s as simple as loading the wood chips, lighting it up, and impressing your guests with a remarkable cocktail.
It’s very safe and easy to use. It also comes with woodchips that give your drink a great smoky flavor that isn’t too dry.
And this isn’t just any drink smoker, the Aged and Charred smoker is designed specifically to smoke old fashioneds.
Check out the smoked old fashioned I made with the Aged and Charred smoker lid using Weller Special Reserve.
This butane-powered beauty is simple, compact, and has a versatile lid that’ll work just as well over a coupe glass as it will over a rocks or Glencairn glass.
It can be purchased with butane included (unlike many drink smokers) so you’re ready to go right out the box.
For these reasons, it’s our #1 whiskey smoker of 2023.
2. Smokeshow Cocktail Smoker
Price: $95.97
Pros: Extremely high quality, everything you need included, portable, unique flavors
Cons: A bit pricey
This isn’t just any drink smoker. The Smokeshow is one of our favorite smokers for smoking old fashioneds.
It typically clocks in at $95.97—but at the time of writing, it’s on sale for $20 off.
And the quality of this thing is on another level.
Unlike other cocktail smokers on this list, we discovered that the Smokeshow is built really well. It doesn’t burn during use, which means you won’t be replacing your smoker every 500 uses. Instead, your Smokeshow will last for many years to come.
There also aren’t complaints about the torch not working, which is a massive trend with many cheaper smokers you’ll find on Amazon throughout the rest of this list.
The 4.9 star average over 400+ reviews prove this smoker is a cut above the rest. It’s a perfect gift for dads, granddads, and anyone who loves a perfectly smoked cocktail.
3. Ogery Cocktail Smoke Infuser Kit
Price: $39.98
Pros: High-quality smoker lid, great torch
Cons: Not the most elegant design, no butane, torch is difficult to fill
One of the cheapest options on this list that has a torch that actually works, the Ogery Cocktail Smoke Infuser Kit is a really interesting option to consider.
It’s design is easily one of the worst on this list, which can be a major drawback, but it works well and comes with a solid torch. And if you’ve been following to this point, you’ll notice that’s a big deal. The only knock on the torch is that it can be hard to fill.
It also has some solid wood chip flavors included that are actually tasty. People have loved the way their wood chips stack up to the other brands on this list.
If you don’t care about having an elegant looking cocktail smoker, this could easily be your best option.
4. Vonfame Cocktail Smoker Kit
Price: $23.99
Pros: Cheap, easy to use
Cons: Doesn’t come with torch, complaints about chip quality
The Vonfame Cocktail Smoker Kit is a perfect example of a cheap, reliable cocktail smoking kit.
It’s not unique in terms of features, but it’ll get smoke wisping out of your old fashioned and curling around your glass just about as well as anything else on the market.
Prices on this one can vary, but if you’re savvy you can pick one up for just over $20.
The 4-star average review is absolutely nothing to balk at either, making this a really solid choice if you’re after a nice entry-level kit to smoke up your old fashioned and impress all your friends when they come round.
While the butane torch is not included in this package, the Vonfame Cocktail Smoker Kit does come with 4 different flavors of wood chips, meaning you can smoke your old fashioned all you want, and still keep the flavor fresh.
The main complaint we have is that the wood chips are pretty low quality, which makes sense with this price point.
5. Breville Smoking Gun Food Smoker
Price: $99.95
Pros: Lets you “cold smoke” without changing temperature or texture, allows for a more precise amount of smoke, very simple to use, Can use with other foods
Cons: The smoking process requires plastic wrap or something similar, Expensive, more expensive to replenish wood
Not the conventional way of smoking drinks. This is completely different than everything else on the list, but all the tests went great. The Smoking Gun Food Smoker is a completely different vibe.
You don’t get the refined feel that most of the others on this list give you, but it was still extremely effective in the tests. You will need some sort of plastic wrap, and you’ll have to stick the hose under it.
It’s not as pretty, but it performs extremely well. And it also allows you to smoke things like ribs and burgers. Just put them in a pot with plastic wrap and fire away.
The absolute best part about the Breville (and the main thing that separates it from the rest) is its ability to produce “cold smoke.” This allows you to avoid making a warm cocktail, which is what most of the others do.
So if you’re planning to drink your cocktail neat, and you still want it cold, the Breville Smoking Gun should be your #1 choice.
If you’re not sure about it, the 1000+ 5-star reviews on Amazon will make you feel better. The Smoking Gun is one of the most celebrated smokers on the market, which is why it comes up as a top contender in many review lists.
For us, however, we prefer the refined process of a traditional smoker. The presentation is important to us, so we don’t love the idea that you need to tuck it under plastic wrap. It just feels a bit goofy.
But if that little thing doesn’t bother you, you won’t be disappointed.
6. Bourbon Haze Cocktail Smoker Kit With Torch
Price: $19.99
Pros: High-quality materials, great reviews
Cons: Complaints about the torch, no butane
If you’re just jumping into this world and you’d like to try one of the least expensive smokers on the market, this one is for you. In the tests, this one was actually solid for the price.
The Bourbon Haze Smoker Kit is a complete package.
Quality-built glass cloche? Check!
Rechargeable USB lighter torch? Check!
Set of sleek whiskey stones to keep your drinks chilled without diluting? Check!
Oak, Cherry, and Apple wood chips to infuse a spectrum of smoky notes? Check!
An easy-to-use smoke infuser gun for that perfect smoky cloud? Check!
And of course, an old-fashioned drink recipe card to elevate your cocktail game? Check!
The Bourbon Haze Cocktail Smoker Kit doesn’t just tease, it goes the whole nine yards of providing an authentic, bar-like experience, minus the butane. This kit truly takes you on a journey of whiskey indulgence.
At $19.99, the Bourbon Haze Smoker Kit is very affordable compared to other smokers on this list.
And given the whiskey stones, and the fact that it’s all wrapped up in a stylish gift box, we think it’s a great value.
It comes with a torch as well, but many have complained about it not working after a few uses. So just be aware that the torch itself may not be of the highest quality. But are you really expecting the highest quality if you can get an entire kit for $20?
This one makes the top 8 list because it worked great in the tests and it’s a great value.
7. Taigin Luxury Cocktail Smoker Kit
Price: $59.99
Pros: Portable, easy to use, comes with 4 kinds of wood chips
Cons: No butane, complaints about the torch not working well and wood chips not having quite as much flavor
The Taigin Luxury Cocktail Smoker Kit has an impressive 4.4/5 star average rating on over 1,700 reviews.
It comes with 4 unique wood chip flavors, from pecan to apple, but we found that the wood chips actually didn’t have as much flavor as other ones we tested.
This is a trend to keep in mind with many of these Amazon cocktail smokers.
As with other cocktail smokers on this list, this comes with a torch but many have complained about it not working.
We’ve found that this is a solid, middle-of-the-road option for a cocktail smoker. You just may need backup plans for the woodchips and torch.
8. KUZKUZY Cocktail Smoker Kit with Torch
Price: $59.99
Pros: Durable, several wood chip flavors, 4.6/5 stars, “Amazon’g Choice”
Cons: No butane, complaints about the torch not working
At the time of writing, this is “Amazon’s Choice” for smokers. And for good reason.
Unlike many cocktail smokers, the KUZKUZY Cocktail Smoker Kit is made of sturdy metal, which means it won’t warp or deteriorate even when you repeatedly expose it to a butane torch. It performed very well in the tests.
And for some icing on the cake, it’s list price of $59.99 is consistently marked down (as of this writing, it’s $29.98).
Take your cocktail making to new heights with the KUZKUZY Cocktail Smoker Kit, a sleek and chic update on the classic drink smoker.
Its flat design will surely win the admiration of your friends when you infuse their beverages with the warm, comforting aroma of smoked wood.
It also comes with a selection of wood chips in Cherry, Apple, Mesquite, and Hickory flavors, providing unique variety. It even comes with its own cleaning tool.
With a solid 4.6-star rating, this cocktail smoker kit is proof that it can meet and exceed expectations. It won’t disappoint in delivering the smoky taste you crave for your beverages.
The main complaint we have here is with the torch. It feels more sturdy than the others on our list but there are still complaints of it being unreliable after a few months.
The Best Overall Whiskey Smoker Kit Is…
There are plenty of choices out there, but if you’re after the best overall cocktail smoking kit for whiskey, look no further than Aged and Charred.
The easy-to-use, compact, and high-end design makes it perfect for both home and professional use, where space on your bar is a luxury.
If you’re a bartender, this is going to have your customers left speechless in slack-jawed awe, reaching into their wallets and purses for an extra tip.
If you’re buying this cocktail smoker for home use, then you can give yourself the authentic whiskey lounge experience, without paying the authentic whiskey lounge price.
Whether you’re the sort of person who likes to enjoy an old fashioned on their own or have friends round to flaunt your mixology skills, Smokeshow is an elite cocktail smoking kit and an absolute must-have for your home bar.
The Testing Process
At Bourbon Inspector, we are constantly testing more whiskey smokers and adding new favorites to this list. When we test one of these smokers, we rate it by scoring it 1-10 in multiple different categories—like ease, quality, and how effective it was at making a great smoky cocktail.
Then, we compile the score and look at the average. Every product we recommend in this post has been meticulously tested for quality using our rigorous process—and has scored extremely well in our personal rankings.
What to Look for In a Cocktail Smoker
Crafting the perfect smoked cocktail at home is an art, and the smoker lid is a quintessential tool in achieving that smoky perfection.
While there are countless cocktail smoker lids available in the market, not all of them will fit the bill.
Here’s what to consider when seeking out the best cocktail smoker lid for your home bar:
1. Durability
A cocktail smoker lid undergoes a lot of wear and tear, particularly if you’re someone who loves hosting or is just passionate about making smoked cocktails frequently.
Hence, durability should be on top of your checklist. Look for lids made of high-grade materials that resist warping, rusting, or other forms of degradation. Stainless steel, for instance, is an excellent choice due to its long-lasting nature.
Moreover, the build quality of the lid matters – ensure that its hinges, handles, and other moving parts are robust and firmly attached.
A durable lid not only offers good value for money but also ensures that your smoking process is consistent each time.
2. Quality
Quality often goes hand-in-hand with durability, but there’s more to it when it comes to a smoker lid.
A quality smoker lid will provide a tight seal, ensuring that the smoke infuses your cocktail effectively and stays within the glass or container.
This not only guarantees that you get that deep, smoky flavor but also reduces wastage of your wood chips or herbs. Another aspect to consider under quality is ease of use. A well-designed lid will be simple to handle and won’t require any excessive force or maneuvering. Look for brands or models that come highly recommended by professionals or have received good reviews for their build and performance.
3. Value
While it might be tempting to go for the most inexpensive option or splurge on the priciest one, it’s essential to evaluate the true value of a cocktail smoker lid.
Value isn’t just about cost but the balance between what you’re paying and what you’re getting in return. A smoker lid that’s moderately priced but outlasts and outperforms its more expensive counterparts offers better value.
Pay attention to features like adjustable vents, ease of cleaning, and any added accessories that might come with it.
4. Style
The aesthetics of your cocktail smoker lid can play a pivotal role, especially if you’re particular about the presentation or if your home bar has a specific theme.
There’s no reason why a functional tool can’t also be a stylish addition to your setup. From sleek modern designs to rustic, vintage-inspired looks, there’s a wide range of styles available.
Consider the material finishes, colors, and the overall design of the lid.
Why Trust Bourbon Inspector’s Rankings?
Every item enthusiastically recommended in this post was carefully tested and/or reviewed by Hunter Branch, a seasoned whiskey connoisseur and celebrated personality in the bourbon industry.
Hunter has been reviewing bourbon nonstop for the last 6 years, and he also does exclusive interviews with bourbon insiders (for instance, Trey Zoeller, the founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon).
His work has been featured in various publications, blogs, and magazines across the world, like Tasting Table and Mashed.
FAQs
How do you actually use a whiskey smoker?
A whiskey smoker is designed to burn wood chips, spices, or herbs and let the smoke rest on your cocktail—infusing it with brilliant new flavor.
For most smokers, you simply put the substance you want to burn into the chamber, light it with a butane torch (which often comes with the smoker), and close the lid.
This traps the smoke in the glass and lets it move around on top of your drink. You typically don’t need to do this for more than a couple minutes, or you’ll overpower your cocktail. Shoot for 2 minutes as a sweet spot.
Is a whiskey smoker safe?
Of course! Just make sure you follow common-sense safety rules: Don’t touch something that’s burning, don’t play with the lighter, and don’t touch something that has just touched something that’s hot.
Oh—and make sure you’re using it in a well-ventilated place so the smoke can make its way out of the room when you’re done.
How do you take care of your smoker so it lasts for a long time?
Caring for your smoker is quite easy. Just clean it after use—and try not to burn the edges of the smoker with the butane torch. If you clean it well, it should last 3-4 years.
And if you see that the wood chip compartment needs to be replaced, you can easily order a replacement rather than buying a whole new smoker.
How long should your wood chips last you?
A bag of wood chips should last you 6-12 months, unless you’re using it every night. When it comes to wood chips, a little bit goes a long way.
What does a whiskey smoker actually do?
You know how when you smoke meat, it gives it a bit of a smokey taste? And when you smoke it with, say, applewood…you’ll get a very distinct applewood taste in your food.
Well, it just so happens that you can do this exact thing with cocktails. Just make yourself an old fashioned, or even a straight pour of whiskey, and then infuse some smoke with it. Not too much—just a bit.
What happens is, the smell of the smoke gets infused into the cocktail itself, changing your experience of it. And that’s how you get the wonderful, rich “smokey” taste that the cocktail community raves about.
Old Fashioned Smoker Kits Are Freakin’ Awesome
So there you have it, our best picks for if you’ve got the urge to smoke up your cocktail and make your experience that bit more high ticket.
If you’re drawn in by the allure and the sexiness of a smokey drink, but you don’t know where to start, check out our 10 best bourbons for an old fashioned.
Want to smoke straight whiskeys and enjoy them on a warm evening with a Cuban cigar?
Then our Bourbon for Beginners: The 9 Best Bottles of 2023 guide has all your needs covered.
Hunter Branch is the Founder and Director of Editorial for Bourbon Inspector. He has been writing about and professionally reviewing bourbon since 2020 (and has been drinking it for much longer). He’s been able to interview big names in the bourbon industry like Trey Zoeller from Jefferson’s Bourbon and his work has been featured in publications like TastingTable, Mashed, and more.