A julep in miniature, a smash is a mix of a base spirit, sugar and water, served over crushed ice in a small bar glass. According to cocktail expert David Wondrich the category reached its zenith between 1840 and the Civil War, and then got folded back into the julep category until its rather recent revival. The formula is ripe for embellishment, with modern bartenders mixing in fruit, berries, herbs, spices and even vegetables on top of an array of base spirits.