Drink In History - The Amaretto Sour

Amaretto Sour

A STORY of TWO DONS

By Lanee Lee

Amaretto Sour

INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 oz. Amaretto Liqueur 1 oz. simple syrup 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice Orange slice and cherry (for garnish)

PREPARATION Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, strain into glass with ice. Garnish with orange slice and cherry.

“revenge is a dish best served cold.”

One of Don Vito Corleone’s most quotable lines from the 1972 film, The Godfather. What does one of the greatest films of the 21st century have to do with an Amaretto Sour? Tangentially, everything.

maretto Sour, hardly reaching

Alegendary status like the Corleones, is a simple mix of amaretto—an Italian almond-flavored liqueur made from either apricot pits or actual almonds—and sour mix. An Amaretto Sour was usually served in a rocks glass with a maraschino cherry in its recent past.

Here’s where cinema and cocktail lore collide. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Italian culture and cuisine gained popularity in the United States. The release of The Godfather timing couldn’t have been better to solidify the interest in all things Italian.

A few years before The Godfather was released, Amaretto Disaronno of ILLVA Saronno Group landed on the shores of America. Sales were slow in the beginning. On a side note, ILLVA is a wine and spirit business still owned by the Reina family; the Reina’s are one of two families from Saronno, Italy, that lay claim to inventing amaretto in the 16th century.

Even though amaretto was sweet and nutty, unlike most bitter, herbal Italian liqueurs, the American audience wasn’t too keen on it. Yet. The distiller or one of its clever American ambassadors pulled a genius marketing move. They created The Godfather cocktail made with Amaretto Disaronno and Scotch whisky (no coincidence Scotch was Vito’s go-to power drink in the film) on the rocks.

It was a success, as were its subsequent spinoffs: The Godmother made with vodka and amaretto, and The Godchild made with vodka, amaretto, and cream. Another popular spawn was the Bocce Ball made of orange juice, amaretto, and soda. Bocce Ball cocktails were such a hit they were served on Pope John Paul II’s 1979 TWA charter flight across America. Most likely, the Amaretto Sour was born during this time in the early 1970s, probably made first with lemon juice and then downgraded to sour mix. This could have been the end of its glory days, much like it was for the Don in the garden.

But, thanks to Portland-based bartender Jeffrey Morgenthaler, there’s a new Don in town. A few years ago, he set out to revive this sickly, sweet cocktail that most bartenders had thrown on the heap of soulless drinks.

To give amaretto a fighting chance, he adds cask strength bourbon. Instead of sour mix, he uses fresh lemon and simple syrup of two parts sugar and one part water. And finally, he double shakes the cocktail with egg whites.

Sure, he could have laid claim and named his creation something altogether different. Yet, he keeps it real. Here’s what Morgenthaler told The New York Times about why he didn’t give a new name: “There wouldn’t have been any point. There’s a big difference between if I took this drink and made it good, and if I invented a new drink with amaretto. The latter wouldn’t have the same gravitas.”

Although humble in not reinventing the wheel and calling it his own, it did not stop Morgenthaler from claiming his recipe was the “Best Amaretto Sour in the World.”

And now, Morgenthaler’s version, or some close variation, is what you’ll find in craft cocktail bars around the world and in online recipes.

There are quite a few craft amaretti brands to choose from, should you experiment with making an Amaretto Sour, such as Lazzaroni Amaretto and Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira Liqueur, and of course, Disaronno Originale Amaretto using a closely guarded recipe dating back to 1525.

When you do have an Amaretto Sour, make sure to show respect to the original Godfather and the new Godfather—here’s looking at you, Morgenthaler—who made this cocktail one that you can’t refuse.