Amaretto and Whiskey Cocktails

Amaretto is known for its almond flavor, but, interestingly, that doesn’t necessarily come from almonds. “Many amarettos get their flavors from stone fruits, like peach pits, apricot kernels, and other things like baking spices and caramelized sugars—sometimes even a slight cherry flavor comes through,” says Patrick Jennings, bar manager at Andra Hem in Philadelphia. “For example, Lazzaroni amaretto uses Amaretti del Chiostro di Saronno almond cookies in the production process, which get their almond flavor from apricot kernels.” No matter how the final flavor is achieved, amaretto has an unmistakable nutty sweetness to it that Jennings says pairs “remarkably well with the complexity and heat of the alcohol in whisky.”

Jennings adds that his favorite cocktail in his early years of drinking was The Godfather, a 1970s-era blend of two parts blended scotch and one part amaretto. “Later in my career, I discovered it was a favorite among some of my most seasoned co-workers as well,” he says. “At Andra Hem, we actually riffed on The Godfather to create our Crunch Daddy, subbing out smoky blended scotch for a blend of bonded bourbon and rye, which is softened with a Cap’n Crunch infusion and the addition of Lazzaroni amaretto.”

Crunch Daddy

Patrick Jennings, bar manager at Andra Hem in Philadelphia

• 2 oz. Cap'n Crunch-infused whiskey blend (recipe below)
• 1/2 oz. Lazzaroni amaretto
• 4 dashes Angostura bitters
• 4 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl mole bitters
• Absinthe rinse
• Cap'n Crunch cereal for garnish

Stir all ingredients except absinthe with ice. Strain into an absinthe-rinsed rocks glass. Garnish with a single piece of Cap'n Crunch on the side.

Cap'n Crunch-Infused Whiskey Blend

• 3 cups Old Grand-Dad bonded bourbon
• 1 cup Rittenhouse rye
• 2 cups Cap'n Crunch cereal

Add cereal to the blended whiskey. Allow to infuse for 24 hours, then strain.

Hot Amaretto Affair

Chris Read, bar manager at Spoonbar in Healdsburg, California

• 1½ oz. Michter's US*1 rye
• ½ oz. amaretto
• 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz. brown sugar
• 4 oz. near-boiling water

Add rye, amaretto, lemon juice, and brown sugar to a toddy glass. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Top with near-boiling water.

Bebe's Whiskey Sour

Sara Bradley, owner of Freight House in Paducah, Kentucky

• 1 oz. Old Grand-Dad 114 bourbon
• ½ oz. Luxardo amaretto
• 1½ oz. equal parts mix of lemon juice, lime juice, and simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• Bordeaux cherry for garnish

Vigorously shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a Bordeaux cherry and a barspoon of the cherry juice.

Cherry Wooder Ice

Fringe Bar in Philadelphia

• ¼ oz. Evan Williams Cherry bourbon
• 1½ oz. amaretto
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¾ oz. orange juice
• Orange wheel and cherry for garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a crushed-ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange wheel and cherry.