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The Godfather cocktail is a simple Scotch and amaretto drink that’s full of flavor! It pairs nutty sweetness with a spicy whiskey finish.
Here’s a drink for Scotch lovers and drinkers who need a little extra convincing. Try the Godfather cocktail! This Scotch and amaretto cocktail is deliciously simple. With just two ingredients, it balances the nutty sweetness of amaretto with the spicy finish of whiskey.
The hint of amaretto gives the Scotch a unique intrigue that makes it more palatable than drinking straight up. If you’re serving a non-Scotch lover (like me!), it’s the perfect intro cocktail. Alex loves Scotch, so this is a nice middle ground for the two of us.
Ingredients in the Godfather cocktail
The Godfather is a two-ingredient cocktail made with Scotch whiskey and amaretto. The history around the drink is a little mysterious: no one knows who invented it! It became popular in the 1970’s when cocktails were often strong and sweet, and amaretto was trending.
The drink is believed to be named after the Godfather movie with Marlon Brando, which came out in 1972. Marlon Brando’s character often drank Scotch in the movie, so the Godfather name could be referencing the Italian liqueur.
How to make a Godfather
Like most two ingredient cocktails, the Godfather is ultra simple to make. You don’t even need to dirty a cocktail shaker or citrus juicer. Here’s all you need to do:
- Mix: Mix 1 ½ oz Scotch and ½ oz amaretto in a mixing glass.
- Optional splash: If you like make it fancy and add a small splash of single malt Scotch on top.
- Garnish: Add ice. Garnish with a lemon peel if you’d like.
Types of Scotch (& a finishing touch!)
Are you a Scotch fan? To take the Godfather cocktail over the top, we put our own special spin on it by using two types of Scotch. This is absolutely optional, but we happened to have two types of Scotch on hand after making the Penicillin cocktail (another great Scotch cocktail). Here’s a little more about Scotch types:
- Blended Scotch: Blended Scotch has a smooth flavor—it’s almost like bourbon, but with more of a spicy finish. As its name suggests, it’s made by blending two types of whisky: barrel-aged malt whisky and grain whisky.
- Single Malt Scotch: Single malt Scotch is a malt whisky that’s from one distillery, and it’s usually a little more expensive. If you have a single malt scotch, you can pour on a little on the top of the Godfather cocktail to step it up a notch.
All about amaretto
Amaretto is an almond liqueur that originates from Italy. It has a distinctive almond flavor, and tastes both sweet and bitter at once (amaretto means in Italian “little bitter”). It’s worth getting a bottle for your shelf: you can use it in cocktails and in cooking, especially desserts!
A few more drinks that use amaretto? Try other amaretto cocktails like the Amaretto Sour, French Connection, Amaretto Stone Sour, Toasted Almond, Amaretto Coffee, or Italian Margarita.
More two ingredient cocktails
The Godfather is a two ingredient cocktail that’s quick and easy to mix up! With most of these, you don’t even need to shake them: just stir together in a glass. Here are some more famous two ingredient cocktails:
- The French Connection is equal parts Cognac and amaretto.
- A Gin and Tonic is one of the most classic two ingredient drinks.
- A Martini uses just gin and vermouth.
- The Vodka Cranberry is refreshing and tangy, with cranberry juice and vodka.
- The Whiskey Highball is a bubbly way to drink your whiskey by mixing it with soda water or ginger ale.
- Pairing Chambord and champagne makes a fun sophisticated drink.
- All you need for a Black Russian is vodka and Kahlua.
Godfather Cocktail
The Godfather cocktail is a simple Scotch and amaretto drink that’s full of flavor! It pairs nutty sweetness with a spicy whiskey finish.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) blended scotch
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) amaretto
- For the garnish: Lemon peel
Instructions
- Add the blended scotch and amaretto to a mixing glass and stir with ice.
- Strain the drink into a lowball glass and fill it with ice. (To take it over the top, add a splash of single malt scotch on top). Garnish with a lemon peel and serve.
More Scotch cocktails
Love your Scotch? Here are a few of the best Scotch cocktails to try:
- The Penicillin stars Scotch with honey, lemon and ginger: it’s got a unique, high-end vibe.
- The Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch.
- The Buchanan Sour is a sweet tart whiskey sour with blended Scotch.
- The Blood and Sand is a unique classic cocktail made with Scotch, blood orange juice, and cherry liqueur.
- The Rusty Nail is a Scotch and Drambuie cocktail that’s got the 1960’s written all over it!
