Godfather Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 14.3% ABV ∙
The Godfather Sour is a whisky sour built from blended Scotch, amaretto, lemon juice, and egg white, shaken and served over ice. A plush, cloud-like foam gives way to a tart, nutty finish, with a smoky whisper lingering under the silky, lightly sweet body.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 30 mlAmaretto liqueur 30 mlLemon juice 30 mlSugar syrup 10 mlEgg white 15 ml
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice)
- Fine strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with an orange slice
Tips
- Shake with ice first, then strain the liquid back into the empty shaker and dry shake without ice — this double shake is what builds the thick, lasting foam.
- Chill the glass beforehand so the ice inside doesn't melt fast and dilute the drink before you finish straining.
- Fine-strain the final pour to keep any broken foam or ice shards out of the glass for a clean, glossy surface.
History
The Godfather Sour turns the two-ingredient Godfather into a shaken sour by adding lemon juice, sugar, and egg white, giving the equal-parts Scotch-and-amaretto mix a citrus lift and a frothy texture the original never had. Recipe databases credit the adaptation to American bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and it fits a broader wave of bartenders reworking the Godfather around the 2010s by substantially rebalancing its old specs.
The Godfather itself is a 1970s American drink of equal parts Scotch whisky and amaretto, served over ice, whose creator is not documented. Its name is tied to the 1972 film The Godfather, based on Mario Puzo's novel, and the amaretto maker Disaronno has long promoted a claim that it was Marlon Brando's favorite drink, though this story is unverified and Disaronno itself has not formally claimed it. The cocktail's earliest known print appearances come from bartender Brian F. Rea's 1976 Brian's Booze Guide and Stanley M. Jones's 1977 Jones' Complete Bar Guide, both placing its origin in the mid-1970s alongside the film's success.
FAQ
What is in a Godfather Sour?
A Godfather Sour is made of blended Scotch whisky, amaretto liqueur, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white, double-shaken and strained over ice into an old-fashioned glass with an orange slice.
How do you make a Godfather Sour?
Shake the whisky, amaretto, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white hard with ice, then strain the mix back into the shaker and shake again without ice to build the foam. Fine-strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and garnish with an orange slice.
What does a Godfather Sour taste like?
It tastes nutty and citrus-forward, with the amaretto's almond sweetness balancing tart lemon and a smoky Scotch backbone. At 14.3% ABV it drinks lighter than a straight Godfather, and the egg white gives it a silky, foam-topped texture closer to a whiskey sour than to the spirit-forward original.
Is egg white necessary in a whiskey sour?
No, egg white is optional in a whiskey sour, but this Godfather Sour build includes it for a silky, foam-topped texture. Without it, the drink is still balanced but loses the cloud-like head and softer mouthfeel that the double shake creates.
