Typically, the drink is served with ice in an old fashioned glass.

The amaretto brand Disaronno claims the drink was the favorite cocktail of American actor Marlon Brando, known for playing the titular character in the popular American film adaptation of Mario Puzo's The Godfather, which prominently features the Italian mob.

[2] This may be an allusion to the cocktail's prominent use of amaretto, an Italian liqueur.

Disaronno recommends a one-to-two ratio of amaretto to whisky (25 ml amaretto to 50 ml whisky)[2] The godmother cocktail uses vodka in place of whisky, while the French Connection uses brandy.

[3] The godchild, meanwhile, replaces Scotch with cream, leaving a drink with much less alcohol.