Review: Bluegrass Bitters 5-Spice Orange Bitters and Smoky Simple Syrup

We don’t often get excited about cocktail components, but every now and then something new comes along that makes us rethink the idea of at-home mixology. In this week’s episode of the Film & Whiskey Podcast, we tried two products from a husband-and-wife company out of Louisville, Kentucky: Bluegrass Bitters™. Their core offerings, a Smoky Simple Syrup and a 5-Spice Orange Bitters, promise a shortcut to elevated cocktails without a lot of effort.

We wanted to see if they deliver. So we mixed up some drinks, tried each product on its own, and gave our honest impressions. 

Smoky Simple Syrup: Sweet, Smoky, and Surprisingly Balanced

Bob: I'm going to start with the Smoky Simple Syrup. I’ll go on record and say, smoky stuff is really hit or miss for me. When it's done poorly, it just tastes like liquid smoke. It feels artificial. But here’s the thing—you know how to fix something that tastes too smoky?

Brad: Sugar?

Bob: Exactly. This is really good. Remember those ribs at TGI Fridays with the Jack Daniels sauce? Tell me this doesn’t taste like that. Sweet, smoky, almost like a glaze you'd put on barbecue.

Brad: It really does. It doesn’t cross into actual barbecue sauce territory, but it definitely has that vibe. I’d totally dip some pork in this.

Brad: And just to clarify, this isn't a sponsored review. We got a no-strings-attached sample, and this syrup is legitimately great. I love that you mentioned the Jack Daniels ribs—it’s a perfect comparison.

5-Spice Orange Bitters: Bright Citrus, Subtle Spice

Brad: The bitters are spot on. Spicy with a subtle orange flavor that isn’t overwhelming. It’s hard to do artificial citrus well, but this tastes natural.

Bob: I just put a few drops right in my mouth. We diffuse essential oils at home, so I’ve learned to pick up on citrus differences. This reminds me of tangerine more than a basic orange—bright, tangy, and clean. It’s got that high-note citrus that will pair nicely with the syrup.

Brad: It really balances out the smokiness. The bitters bring brightness, and the syrup adds depth. It just works.

Making an Old Fashioned: Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor

Bob: I made myself an Old Fashioned with these, and honestly, this might be the best version of that drink I’ve had in a long time.

Brad: Same. I used half an ounce of the syrup, about two droppers of the bitters, and two ounces of whiskey. I went with 90.6-proof Woodford Reserve.

Bob: I used Old Overholt—86 proof, bottom shelf rye. And this drink transformed it. It turned Old Overholt into its ideal self. I’ve had orange bitters before. I’ve had smoked Old Fashioneds. But this combo is next-level. I usually hate smoked cocktails. Most of the time, the smoke is just a gimmick. But this syrup and bitters combo is deep and rich. This is a top-tier Old Fashioned. I haven’t raved about something like this in a long time.

Brad: Here’s my pitch: this is the lazy man’s cocktail. I can make a killer whiskey sour, but I don’t want to deal with eggs and extra cleanup. This? I tossed everything in a shaker: whiskey, syrup, bitters, ice—and I was done. That’s my kind of drink.

Bob: Throw a good cocktail cherry in there and you’re golden.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes a product feels like it was made for people exactly like us: folks who love whiskey but don’t want to play bartender every time we want a good drink. Bluegrass Bitters™ absolutely nailed it here. Their 5-Spice Orange Bitters are bright and balanced. The Smoked Simple Syrup is layered and smooth without feeling artificial. Together, they elevate even a bargain bottle of whiskey into something memorable.

They’re going on the bar cart, and they’re staying there.