Orange peel and orange wood play different roles in a cocktail

Prepare the garnish separately from the wood chips. · Giamaio

Hold a freshly cut piece of peel near your nose and gently bend it with the coloured side out. The bright scent left on your fingers is coming from the skin. Orange wood produces a wood-smoke aroma. Expecting chips to give an Old Fashioned the taste of orange peel sets you up for a very different drink.

Begin with a familiar base

The International Bartenders Association lists orange slice or zest as a garnish for its Old Fashioned. Mix a small batch of your usual drink, then divide it between three identical tasting glasses. Leave the first one plain. Express the peel over the second glass and set the peel aside. Smell these two first to get a sense of what the oils bring.

Keep the chamber for the wood

For the third sample, give the drink a brief pass of smoke using food-grade orange wood. Follow the smoker’s instructions in a ventilated area and keep the lighting flame away from the drink and spirit bottles. Fresh peel belongs with the drink, outside the chamber. Nose all three glasses in the same order and note which smells most clearly of citrus.

Choose the moment to garnish

If you like the wood-smoked sample, try a light expression of peel at service. The first impression may become brighter while the wood is still clear in the sip. If the orange takes over, use a smaller garnish or serve it without squeezing it. You have changed a single gesture, which gives you something precise to repeat next time.