Bar Tools
Breville Smoking Gun
$89
Why Al Buys This
“Because smoke is a flavor. Flavor is the point. This is not complicated.”
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Al's Full Endorsement
The Breville Smoking Gun produces cold smoke, which you use to smoke a glass before pouring a drink into it, or to infuse smoke into a cocktail under a dome. The result is an old fashioned that smells like a campfire in the best possible way, or a mezcal cocktail with layered smokiness that adds dimension.
I want to be clear that this is not a party trick. It is a technique. The distinction is whether you're doing it because it impresses people or because it improves the drink. I do it because it improves the drink.
Applewood and cherry wood chips work best. Hickory is too aggressive for most spirits — reserve it for bourbon expressions with enough weight to carry it. The device itself is small, reliable, and requires only basic maintenance. The batteries are 4 AAs. Yes, it runs on AA batteries. This is somehow both modest and excellent.