6 Smoky Cocktails

Smoke and scotch are a beautiful flavour pairing. Many scotch whiskies have a natural essence of smokiness, gained from the complex notes that make up the liquid’s flavour profile. 

But smoky scotch cocktails don’t have to get their smokiness solely from the whisky. Ingredients such as lapsang, cardamom and spices each bring or elevate a drink’s smoky flavour. 

You can also achieve a smoky scotch cocktail by smoking the whisky yourself at home. The easiest way is to smoke an upturned glass (outside!) over a mini fire. Use a jar to contain the smoke before quickly creating your cocktail. You can also invest in a cocktail smoking gun, or try smoking your whisky on a grill or bbq by using a smoking tube or box. For each you’ll want to use wood chips to get that smoky intensity, but you can also combine with other ingredients like cinnamon or herbs for extra flavour.

Whether or not you want to get creating smoky whisky at home is up to you. But for now, here’s our favourite smoky scotch cocktails you can make at home.

Named after its smoky nature, this whisky cocktail is packed with flavour. Yet it doesn’t get its smokiness from the whisky. 

It starts with The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, our smooth, creamy single malt that mingles delicate citrus flavours with complex fruity tones. The scotch’s sweetness is then accompanied by Russian lapsang tea, brewed and chilled to give the drink its recognisable smokiness. 

A top up of ginger ale finishes the pour, adding subtle spice to the malty notes. Garnish your Smoky Sputnik with crystallised ginger and plenty of ice.

This twist on a classic Old Fashioned is perfect for those who like a bolder flavour. Smoky, sweet and simple to make, it’s the ultimate smoky scotch cocktail. 

To make a Smoky Old Fashioned, we’ll start with a classic recipe of The Glenlivet 12 Year Old scotch, sugar syrup and Angostura Bitters. Then add a couple of dashes of smoky whisky to enhance the drink’s intensity. Serve over ice and cosy up on a winter’s night by the fire.

The Godfather is a simple two ingredient cocktail that packs a punch. It’s a 3:1 ratio of whisky and Amaretto, stirred with ice for 10-15 seconds before being strained and served on the rocks with an orange peel or cherry garnish. Use The Glenlivet 15 Year Old to blend sweet, nutty notes and spice with the Amaretto’s almond flavour.

Being so easy to make, The Godfather is a great cocktail to personalise. For extra smokiness, replace 7.5ml of whisky with peated scotch.

The Hot Toddy is a beautifully warming whisky drink that’s perfect for sipping fireside. The killer combination of scotch, lemon and honey hits all the right spicy, sweet and smoky notes. But you can enhance these even further by mixing up the ingredients. 

Try adding ginger, apple cider or in this case, smoking your glass or whisky before creating. Use a cocktail smoking gun if you have one, or smoke your scotch at home by using a smoking tube or box to connect to your grill or bbq.

If you’re a fan of Old Fashioned and Manhattans, then this whisky cocktail will definitely become your new favourite. The Vieux Carré is a New Orleans creation that dates back to the 1930s. It mixes a fair few ingredients together to get a complex flavour profile that’s both sweet yet better, smoky yet smooth and unquestionably delicious. 

Whisky, cognac, sweet vermouth and benedictine mix with bitters to create this timeless recipe. It’s worth the effort for every smoky sip.

The Penicillin is a relatively new ‘classic’ whisky cocktail on the scene. Blending whisky with honey, ginger, lemon and smoky Islay single malt, it’s got a strong flavour profile that’s not for the faint hearted. 

The combination of two types of scotch create a perfect smoky, spiced base. Whilst homemade honey and ginger syrup adds a fiery kick with every sip.

If you like smoky scotch cocktails, then why not try some of our other common recipes from sour drinks to herby cocktails. We’ve got plenty more whisky drinks to choose from. You can also learn how to infuse whisky at home with your favourite flavours or even get cooking with whisky in the kitchen.