Godfather Cocktail: Smoky Scotch and Amaretto Two-Ingredient Nightcap for Halloween

Chill a rocks glass in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice and water while you mix.

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 oz (60ml) blended Scotch whisky
• 3/4 oz (22ml) amaretto liqueur, such as Disaronno
• 1 dash orange bitters (optional)
• 1 large ice cube or several ice cubes
• 1 strip orange peel
• 2 or 3 toasted almonds, to serve alongside (optional)
• Extra ice, for stirring

Instructions

1. Chill a rocks glass in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice and water while you mix.
2. Fill a mixing glass two-thirds full with ice. Pour in the Scotch, amaretto and the orange bitters if using.
3. Stir with a bar spoon for 20 to 25 seconds until well chilled and lightly diluted. The drink should taste strong but rounded, not syrupy.
4. Empty the rocks glass, add one large ice cube, and strain the drink over it.
5. Twist the orange peel over the glass so the oils spray across the surface, then drop it in.
6. Serve with a few toasted almonds on the side to echo the amaretto. For a smokier Halloween version, swap half the blended Scotch for a peaty Islay malt; for a Godmother, replace the Scotch with vodka.
7. The Godfather appeared in American bars in the early 1970s, right as the film of the same name was filling cinemas, and legend has it that Marlon Brando favored the combination. It belongs to a small family of two-ingredient equal-parts drinks built around Disaronno, the almond-scented liqueur from Saronno in Lombardy whose recipe dates to the 16th century; modern bartenders pull the ratio back toward a drier 3-to-1 so the Scotch leads. With its smoke, warmth and faintly marzipan sweetness, it is the kind of slow drink made for sitting by the fire once the trick-or-treaters have gone home.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

• Calories: 230 kcal
• Protein: 0g
• Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 12g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugar: 11g
• Sodium: 2mg