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The Smokin’ Royal Flush is a fruity whiskey cocktail built around peach, raspberry, and cranberry. This version started with a recipe from Bar None by Brass Monkey Goods, which calls for Tennessee whiskey, peach liqueur, raspberry liqueur, and cranberry juice. The proportions looked suspiciously sweet, especially with two full ounces of peach liqueur, but the finished cocktail turned out to be surprisingly well-balanced.

For my version, I substituted Wild Turkey 101 bourbon for the Tennessee whiskey. I also added a quarter-ounce of fresh lemon juice to bring a little extra tartness to the mix. The final addition was cherrywood smoke, which gave the drink another layer of flavor without overpowering the fruit.

The result is the Smokin’ Royal Flush, a sweet, fruity bourbon cocktail with a little tartness and a smoky finish.

A Different Take on the Royal Flush

Many Royal Flush recipes call for Canadian whisky, peach schnapps, and cranberry juice. The Bar None version takes a different approach, adding raspberry liqueur and using considerably more peach liqueur than most versions.

I wasn’t convinced those proportions would work, particularly with sweetened cranberry juice cocktail in the mix. But rather than adjust the recipe before tasting it, I made it as written, apart from the whiskey substitution.

And I’m glad I did. The peach and raspberry flavors were prominent, but the bourbon still came through. The cranberry provided enough contrast to keep the drink enjoyable without being overly sugary.

Why Cherrywood for the Smokin’ Royal Flush?

The original cocktail was already good, but a squeeze of fresh lemon juice brought a little more brightness to the fruit flavors. Then Mrs. Bourbony suggested smoking it.

Cherrywood was the choice, and it worked beautifully with the peach, raspberry, and brandied cherry garnish. The smoke added a subtle contrast to the sweetness while allowing the fruit flavors to remain the focus.

Unlike some smoked cocktails where the smoke dominates the experience, the goal here was simply to add another flavor to an already enjoyable drink.

Notes & Fine Tuning

The original Bar None recipe is worth trying without any adjustments. The lemon juice is a small addition that helps sharpen the sweet and tart flavors, while the cherrywood smoke gives this variation its character.

If you don’t have a cocktail smoker, you can still make the drink without it. You’ll lose the smoky finish, but the combination of bourbon, peach, raspberry, cranberry, and lemon stands on its own.

And if you’re skeptical about using two ounces of peach liqueur, believe me – I was, too. As it so happens, sometimes the recipe is right the first time.