Godfather

This 1970s-era drink calls for only two ingredients: whiskey and amaretto. Named for the popular, Oscar-winning film “The Godfather," it's incredibly easy to make, but the nuanced flavor will leave you feeling like you stirred up something special.

While the cocktail fell out of fashion after it's peak in the 1970s and '80s, and isn’t a common find at most bars, it’s remains a fantastic example of the breadth of flavors that can be coaxed out of a simple two-ingredient cocktail.

Why the Godfather Works

The Godfather is made with whiskey and amaretto. Blended scotch is the classic choice, although some people choose to use a single malt or even bourbon. The latter makes a fine drink, but one that features bourbon’s baking spice notes rather than scotch’s hallmark flavors of honey, heather and soft smoke.

Amaretto is an Italian liqueur that’s made from almonds and stone-fruit pits. It’s sweet on its own and a fine addition to cocktails. It sometimes gets a bad rap because of past associations with subpar sweet-and-sour mix iterations of the Amaretto Sour, but when mixed properly with quality ingredients, amaretto is a great asset to your home bar.

In this case, the almond-flavored liqueur softens the whiskey, but doesn’t mask it. What you're left with is a whiskey-forward drink that you can sip slowly.

How to Make a Godfather

The Godfather is often made with equal parts, which makes a tasty, albeit sweeter drink. But this version comes from writer Michael Dietsch and his book Whiskey: A Spirited Story with 75 Classic & Original Cocktails. Dietsch dials down the sweetness significantly by using amaretto as an accent, rather than an equal player. The result is a drier, boozier cocktail that keeps the focus on the whiskey.

Give this recipe a try, or tweak the ratio per your preference. With just two ingredients, it’s easy to experiment and find the version you like best.

Ingredients