The Godfather cocktail is a smooth, no-fuss cocktail that’s been around since the early 1970s. Made with just two ingredients, Scotch and amaretto, it’s simple to mix but full of rich, complex flavor that’s perfect for slow sipping.
Named after the Oscar-winning film The Godfather, this drink brings together the bold, smoky notes of whiskey with the sweet, nutty flavor of almond liqueur. It’s traditionally made with blended Scotch, but bourbon or single malt work just as well depending on your taste. Whether you’re winding down after dinner or pairing it with dessert, the Godfather drink is always a solid choice.
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Ingredient Notes
The Godfather Drink is a two-ingredient cocktail recipe.
With just amaretto liqueur and whiskey, it’s easy to experiment and find the version of this cocktail that you like best. Play around with finding your preferred ratio of whiskey to amaretto. As well as trying out using different varieties of whiskey to find which you like best.
The amaretto sweetens the drink, but going too far will result in an overly sweet and sugary cocktail. On the opposite side, not adding enough amaretto will allow the scotch to overpower the drink and ruin the beautiful balance.
The ratio I give in this recipe should add the perfect amount of sweetness to complement the scotch. But you can taste and adjust it to suit your personal preference.
What is the best scotch for this cocktail?
While blended Scotch whisky is the traditional choice, single malt scotch is also a great option for this drink. Find out about the differences below so you can decide which type of scotch you would like best to make a Godfather Cocktail.
- Blended Scotch: Blended Scotch has a smooth flavor, similar to bourbon, but with more of a spicy finish. As its name suggests, it is made by blending two types of whiskey together. A blended Scotch combines barrel-aged malt whisky and grain whisky.
- Single Malt Scotch: Single Malt Scotch is usually a more expensive style of whiskey. ‘Single’ malt whisky is the product of an individual distillery. Malt whisky is made only from malted barley, in two or three copper pot stills, by a batch process.
How to Make a Godfather Cocktail
I've prepared this cocktail in a cocktail shaker, but it's not necessary. If you don't have a bar kit, you can easily mix this drink right in the serving glass.
- STEP 1: Fill a mixing glass or jar with ice.
- STEP 2: Add the whiskey and amaretto stir and allow to chill and dilute for 30 seconds.
- STEP 3: Strain into a rocks glass that has one or two ice cubes in it.
- STEP 4: Add an optional garnish and enjoy immediately.
Garnish Suggestions
- Lemon peel
- Orange peel
- Orange twist
- Lemon or orange slice
Cocktail Variations
The Godfather cocktail is also part of a family of other “god-” cocktails, and adjusting the base liquor will result in delicious variations. These include:
- Godmother Cocktail: Vodka and amaretto.
- Godchild (first version): Brandy and Amaretto.
- Godchild (second version): Vodka and amaretto with cream for a more dessert-like cocktail.
- Brooklyn Godfather: Bourbon and amaretto with both sweet and dry vermouth.
- Godfather Sour: Whiskey, amaretto, egg white, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- French Connection: Cognac and amaretto.
- Rusty Nail: Scotch and Drambuie.
More whiskey cocktails to try:
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Recipe
Godfather Cocktail
Equipment
Instructions
- Fill a large glass or jar with ice.Ice Cubes
- Add the whiskey and amaretto stir and allow to chill and dilute for 30 seconds.1 ½ ounces Scotch Whiskey, ½ ounce Amaretto
- Strain into a lowball serving glass that has one or two ice cubes in it.Ice Cubes
- Add an optional garnish and enjoy immediately.
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