July 31, 2025

Laguna Lament

The drink when it all goes wrong.

A smoky ode to busted plans and sea lion wisdom.
Bold, biting, and just sweet enough to remind you that not all endings are bitter.

2 oz barrel-strength bourbon
(fuel for the fallout)
½ oz ginger purée
(the burn of anger)
½ oz fresh lemon juice
(sour disappointment)
1 dash aromatic bitters
(a drop of regret)
Candied ginger
(for the sweet, unexpected ending)
Smoke (oak chip or mesquite, preferably)
(burning dreams and smoggy highways)

Prep the glass:
Using a smoking gun or smoking dome, fill a chilled rocks glass with smoke from oak or mesquite chips. Let it sit, trapping the smoke while you mix the drink.
Shake it off:
Combine bourbon, ginger purée, lemon juice, and bitters in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled and slightly foamy — like waves crashing against busted expectations.
Set the scene:
Discard the smoke from the glass. (Or leave a bit swirling for drama.)
Pour it out:
Strain the drink into the prepared rocks glass over a large cube.
Garnish:
Add a skewer of candied ginger. Because even disaster deserves dessert.
Sip slowly:
Reflect on bad RV deals, detours you didn’t plan for, and the beach that made it all worth it.

Choosing your pour:
The Laguna Lament is bold and expressive, so your bourbon should carry its weight. Here are a few solid picks:

Larceny Barrel Proof Select
Approachable and easy to find (Costco’s your friend). A soft wheat profile that plays well with ginger’s heat.
Green River Full Proof
A comeback kid. One of the first distilleries to rise from near-oblivion — and it’s making waves again with flavor to match.
American Woman Barrel Proof
A Colorado Rockies gem. Aged high and wild. As a Denver-born boy, this is my go-to when I want the taste of home in a glass.

For adding that final touch of “burning dreams and smoggy highways,” I recommend the SmokPub Smoker.

Seriously. It’s one of the easiest ways to infuse smoke without turning your kitchen into a crime scene.