The Ford Cocktail Recipe

The Ford Cocktail described as a complex and herbal Benedictine that predates the American entrepreneur Henry Ford but could be named after Malcolm Webster Ford, a famous athlete from a prominent family who was ultimately disinherited for his commitment to competition.

The Ford Cocktail is a refined but lesser-known classic that traces its origins to the late 19th century, firmly within the golden age of American cocktail development. Elegant, spirit-forward, and subtly complex, it reflects the transition from simple mixed drinks to more nuanced, aromatic cocktails that defined pre-Prohibition bartending.

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The earliest known printed reference to the Ford Cocktail appears in George Kappeler’s 1895 bartending manual, Modern American Drinks. In this text, the cocktail is composed of Old Tom gin, dry vermouth, orange bitters, and a small measure of Bénédictine, a French herbal liqueur. This combination places the Ford Cocktail stylistically between the Martini and the Manhattan, borrowing structure from the former while introducing the gentle sweetness and herbal depth of the latter.

The inclusion of Bénédictine is what truly distinguishes the Ford Cocktail. During the late 19th century, European liqueurs were fashionable in American bars, valued for their complexity and perceived sophistication. In the Ford, Bénédictine adds a subtle honeyed, spiced character that softens the dryness of vermouth and complements the botanicals of gin without overwhelming the drink.

Despite its quality, the Ford Cocktail never achieved the widespread fame of its contemporaries. The rise of Prohibition in the United States disrupted cocktail culture, and many nuanced recipes like the Ford fell out of common use. Unlike simpler drinks that survived through oral tradition, the Ford Cocktail largely disappeared from bar menus, preserved mainly in historical recipe books.

The drink experienced a modest revival during the late 20th and early 21st-century classic cocktail renaissance, as bartenders rediscovered pre-Prohibition recipes and embraced spirit-forward, stirred cocktails. Modern interpretations sometimes substitute rye whiskey for gin, creating a richer, spicier variation while maintaining the original balance and structure. Today, the Ford Cocktail is appreciated as a connoisseur’s classic—a quiet example of late 19th-century mixology that rewards careful tasting. Its restrained elegance, historical pedigree, and subtle complexity make it a compelling reminder of an era when cocktails were becoming a true culinary craft.

The Ford Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 oz of gin

• 1 oz of dry vermouth

• ¼ oz of Bénédictine

• 3 dashes of orange bitters

• Use orange zest as garnish

​Assembly ​Add all the ingredients over ice into a mixing glass and stir for about 10-15 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with orange zest.