Whiskey Cake Wabbit Smash: The Carrot-Infused Cocktail Adventure

Wabbit Smash cocktail with orange hue and thyme

Few cocktails spark as much curiosity as the Whiskey Cake Wabbit Smash. This imaginative creation balances robust whiskey with earthy carrot juice, fresh herbs, and warming spices—a blend that feels both playful and sophisticated. It's a standout on the menu at Whiskey Cake, a restaurant brand that prizes from-scratch innovation and bold, kitchen-inspired cocktails.

What Sets the Wabbit Smash Apart

Mixing carrot juice into a whiskey-based cocktail isn’t something you find every day. Classic smashes usually focus on muddled fruit and herbs, but the Wabbit Smash pushes boundaries using carrot’s gentle sweetness, depth, and brilliant color. Seeded with fresh thyme and hit with aromatic bitters, the drink offers layers of flavor that evolve with every sip.

Origin and Inspiration of the Wabbit Smash

This cocktail comes from Whiskey Cake Kitchen & Bar, a modern American eatery that puts a culinary spin on drinks. Their Wabbit Smash draws inspiration from two places: the whimsical energy of Bugs Bunny (hence 'wabbit') and the kitchen philosophy of using garden-fresh ingredients. By transforming carrot—a vegetable rarely spotlighted in cocktails—into the star, they created a drink that genuinely surprises the palate and makes vegetable-forward drinks approachable.

Flavor Profile: Carrot Meets Whiskey and Herbs

The essence of the Wabbit Smash is its fusion of flavors. Carrot juice adds a subtle earthiness and natural sweetness, smoothing the edges of the whiskey and inviting the brightness of lemon juice. The thyme’s herbal punch cuts through, elevating the aromatics. Ginger and angostura bitters round out the profile with a quiet spiced heat. The result: a drink that’s savory, vibrant, and never heavy.

Close-up of carrot juice and whiskey in glass with herbs

How to Make the Whiskey Cake Wabbit Smash

60 ml bourbon (a rye-forward bourbon adds spice)
45 ml fresh carrot juice (strained for smoothness)
22.5 ml fresh lemon juice
15 ml ginger syrup (see tip below)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 ml angostura bitters
Garnish: carrot ribbon and fresh thyme sprig

Preparation emphasizes extracting the most from the fresh thyme and integrating the carrot’s full-body flavor with the warmth of whiskey and ginger syrup.

Lightly bruise 2 thyme sprigs between your fingers and drop into a shaker.
Add 60 ml bourbon, 45 ml carrot juice, 22.5 ml lemon juice, 15 ml ginger syrup, and 2 ml angostura bitters.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
Strain over fresh ice into a rocks glass.
Garnish with a peeled carrot ribbon and a fresh thyme sprig.

To make ginger syrup, simmer 20 g fresh ginger (sliced) with 100 ml water and 100 g sugar until the sugar dissolves, then strain and cool.

Wabbit Smash cocktail with carrot ribbon garnish on bar top

Tips for Home Bartenders and Customizations

Use the freshest carrot juice—bottled juice will taste flat compared to fresh-pressed.
Switch lemon juice for orange juice for a sweeter profile.
For a spicier kick, use rye whiskey or add a thin ginger slice to the shaker.
Herbs like basil or cilantro lend different aromas if you want to experiment.
The drink adapts well to a touch of honey syrup for richer texture.

Why the Wabbit Smash Works

Carrots have lingering notes of vanilla and earthy sweetness that fuse easily with the structure of bourbon. Bright citrus and garden herbs lift the drink, while the ginger intensifies the cocktail’s fresh vibes. Far from a novelty, the Wabbit Smash presents a clever study in balance and seasonality—delivering something new for anyone willing to step outside the ordinary whiskey cocktail spectrum.