Godfather No. II

Chad Arnholt and Claire Sprouse, Tosca | San Francisco

Old-school bar Tosca likely served the classic Godfather, a cocktail consisting of equal parts amaretto and Scotch, during the drink’s 1970s heyday. Today, their updated variation adds complexity by way of maraschino liqueur, plus a splash of smoky Lagavulin, which is added to a milder, blended-Scotch base. “Basically, we took the world’s simplest drink and managed to make it a reasonably taxing pickup,” quips Chad Arnholt, who created the drink with partner Claire Sprouse.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 1/2 ounces blended Scotch, preferably Cutty Sark Prohibition blended Scotch
  • 1 1/2 ounces blended Scotch, preferably Cutty Sark Prohibition blended Scotch
  • 1/2 ounce amontillado sherry
  • 1/2 ounce amontillado sherry
  • 1/4 ounce amaretto, preferably Lazzaroni
  • 1/4 ounce amaretto, preferably Lazzaroni
  • 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur, preferably Leopold Bros.
  • 1/4 ounce maraschino liqueur, preferably Leopold Bros.
  • 2 dashes Scotch, preferably Lagavulin 16 Year Old
  • 2 dashes Scotch, preferably Lagavulin 16 Year Old
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters

Garnish: orange peel, brandied cherry

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a double rocks glass over a large ice cube.
  2. Stir to integrate.
  3. Express the orange peel and discard.
  4. Garnish with a brandied cherry.

Tagged: scotch, scotch cocktails, The Bar 22

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