Smoked Old Fashioned Godfather
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 31.2% ABV ∙
The Smoked Old Fashioned Godfather stirs bourbon, rye, blended Scotch, and peated single malt with amaretto, served over ice in an Old Fashioned glass. Layers of caramel and toasted almond sweetness meet a wisp of peat smoke, finishing warm and dry rather than syrupy.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Bourbon 15 mlRye whiskey 15 mlBlended Scotch whisky 15 mlAmaretto liqueur 25 mlPeated single malt whisky 10 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a toasted almond
Tips
- Stir all the whiskies and amaretto together for about 20-30 seconds to chill and dilute without bruising the spirits.
- Toast the almond garnish just before serving so its aroma lifts as you drink, echoing the peat smoke.
- Pre-chill the glass so the ice-filled serve stays cold longer once the stirred drink is strained in.
History
The Smoked Old Fashioned Godfather is a modern riff created in June 2016 at The Cabinet Room in London, part of a series of Old Fashioned-style reworkings of the Godfather built for a Disaronno-sponsored bartending project. Where the classic Godfather is simply Scotch whisky and amaretto over ice, this version treats the pairing as an Old Fashioned, splitting the whisky base across bourbon, rye, blended Scotch, and peated single malt to layer in a smoky edge alongside the amaretto.
The Godfather itself is a two-ingredient drink of Scotch whisky and amaretto whose creator and exact origin are not firmly documented. It is generally dated to the early 1970s, its rise often linked to the release of Francis Ford Coppola's film The Godfather, and the amaretto producer Disaronno has promoted a claim that the drink was a favorite of actor Marlon Brando, though this is a brand-driven story rather than a documented fact. The earliest known print appearance of a Scotch-and-amaretto drink under the name comes from bartender Brian F. Rea's 1976 book Brian's Booze Guide, though other accounts credit Hollywood bartender Donato "Duke" Antone with mixing it as early as the 1950s, leaving the drink's true origin disputed among several claimants.
FAQ
What is the classic Godfather cocktail?
The classic Godfather is just two ingredients: Scotch whisky and amaretto, stirred over ice. This build expands on that idea, blending bourbon, rye, blended Scotch, and peated single malt with amaretto for a more complex, smoke-tinged variation.
How do you make a smoked Old Fashioned?
Stir bourbon, rye, blended Scotch whisky, peated single malt whisky, and amaretto liqueur with ice, then strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with a toasted almond. The peated malt supplies the smoke character instead of a separate smoking step or added bitters.
What's the difference between a Godfather and an Old Fashioned?
A Godfather is Scotch and amaretto with no sugar or bitters, while an Old Fashioned is a single spirit built with sugar and bitters. This drink borrows the Godfather's whisky-and-amaretto backbone but stirs in bourbon, rye, and peated malt, and serves it Old Fashioned-style over ice with a toasted almond garnish.
What is the best whiskey for a smoked Old Fashioned?
A peated single malt whisky is what gives this drink its smoked character, even in a small proportion alongside bourbon, rye, and blended Scotch. Using even a modest pour of a peaty malt, such as one from Islay, is enough to carry smoke through the whole blend without overpowering it.
