The French Connection recipe
for your table
Place one large ice cube or four large ice cubes in an Old Fashioned glass.
Stir gently with a bar spoon for 10 to 15 seconds.
Let the drink rest for a minute before serving it, so the melted ice opens up the cognac.
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The story
The drink is named after The French Connection, the 1971 American crime film starring Gene Hackman, about a heroin smuggling route from France to New York. The oldest known recipe appears in Brian's Booze Guide by Brian F. Rea from 1976, with twice as much brandy as amaretto. Later bar guides list it alongside two related cocktails: the Godfather with Scotch whisky and the Godmother with vodka. Of the three, the French Connection is the only one with cognac, and the name suits it well: French cognac with Italian amaretto. The IBA classifies it as a Contemporary Classic. The current IBA specification uses equal parts, making the drink sweeter and more accessible than the 1976 recipe.
The right glass
An old fashioned glass of 25 to 32 cl is the right choice. The IBA builds the drink directly in the glass over ice cubes, so you want a sturdy, wide base and room to stir. There is only 7 cl of liquid, but with the ice added, the glass fills to well over half. A thick base keeps the drink cold for longer and feels substantial and comfortable in the hand. View our old fashioned glasses.
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Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 32 cl (6 pieces)
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The right tools
For a French Connection, you use a bar spoon to stir alongside the glass, a jigger to measure precisely, and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
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What do you make a French Connection with?
For a French Connection, you need cognac and amaretto. Well-known bottles include Disaronno, Hennessy, and Rémy Martin. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
The oldest recipe from 1976 uses two parts cognac to one part amaretto: drier, stronger, and less sweet than the IBA version. That ratio works better if you find amaretto too sweet. You can also serve it without ice in a cognac glass; this lets you taste the cognac more clearly. Use Scotch whisky instead of cognac to make a Godfather. Add fresh lemon juice and egg white to make an Amaretto Sour.
Servingtip
Use one large ice cube or a few large, hard ice cubes: they melt more slowly, so the drink doesn't become watery. Serve it after dinner with coffee, almond cookies, or a piece of dark chocolate. An orange zest over the glass adds a fresh aroma, although it is not part of the official specification.
Good to know
Making a French Connection without a shaker
You don't need a shaker or a mixing glass. Place one large ice cube or four large ice cubes in an old fashioned glass and pour 3.5 cl cognac and 3.5 cl amaretto over them. Stir gently with a bar spoon for ten to fifteen seconds. This combines the heavy liqueur with the cognac and chills the drink without diluting it too much. Then let it rest for a minute: the meltwater opens up the cognac and makes the amaretto less sticky. A jigger helps keep the equal parts truly equal. You can make large, clear ice cubes yourself with our ice cube molds.
Which cognac and which amaretto
A VS or VSOP cognac is sufficient. Amaretto has a pronounced flavor and overpowers the finesse of an old XO, so you are better off drinking that neat. A VSOP provides a little more oak and vanilla, which pair well with the almond. Disaronno is the best-known amaretto; it is sweet and smooth with clear marzipan notes. There are also drier amarettos with more bitterness, which make the drink less sweet. Taste the amaretto on its own first: if you find it very sweet, use 2.5 cl instead of 3.5 cl.
Difference between the French Connection, Godfather, and Godmother
These are three drinks with the same basic structure: a spirit with amaretto, served over ice in a low glass. The Godfather uses Scotch whisky and is the best known of the three; the whisky adds malt and sometimes a touch of smoke. The Godmother uses vodka and is the mildest, because vodka adds hardly any flavor of its own, leaving the amaretto to determine everything. The French Connection with cognac is somewhere in between: fruitier than the Godfather, fuller than the Godmother. Anyone who enjoys sweet after-dinner drinks can certainly taste all three side by side.
How much alcohol is in a French Connection
More than you might expect from such a sweet drink. The 3.5 cl of 40 percent cognac provides 1.4 cl of pure alcohol, while the 3.5 cl of approximately 28 percent amaretto provides nearly 1 cl. Together, that is 2.4 cl of pure alcohol, approximately 19 grams, or almost two standard drinks. With the melted ice water, the drink ends up at around 25 to 30 percent ABV. You should therefore drink it slowly, which is perfectly fine: the longer it sits, the smoother it becomes. If you're looking for a lighter cognac drink, the Horse's Neck with ginger ale is a good alternative.
French Connection for a group
Because it contains no juice or carbonation, you can easily mix this drink in advance. For eight glasses, pour 28 cl cognac and 28 cl amaretto into a carafe or bottle and refrigerate for a few hours. When serving, pour 7 cl per glass over one large ice cube and stir briefly. Because the mixture is already cold, the ice melts more slowly and the drink stays balanced longer. A tightly sealed bottle will keep for weeks, so you can simply save any leftovers for next time.
Other drinks with amaretto
Amaretto is more versatile than just an after-dinner drink. In the Amaretto Sour, lemon juice freshens the sweet liqueur, while egg white creates a soft layer of foam. With Scotch whisky over ice, you have the Godfather; with vodka, the Godmother. A splash of amaretto in hot coffee with a dollop of whipped cream is a well-known combination for cold evenings. With all these drinks, keep an eye on the proportions: amaretto is sweet, and one centilitre too much quickly makes the difference between smooth and sticky. Find more ideas in our winter cocktails.
Frequently asked questions
What is in a French Connection?
A French Connection consists of two ingredients: 3.5 cl cognac and 3.5 cl amaretto, according to the IBA specification. Pour them directly into an old fashioned glass with ice cubes and stir briefly with a bar spoon. No garnish is needed.
Why is the cocktail called French Connection?
The drink is named after The French Connection, the 1971 American crime film starring Gene Hackman. The name also suits the ingredients: French cognac with Italian amaretto. The oldest known recipe appears in an American bar guide from 1976.
What is the difference between a French Connection and a Godfather?
Only the base spirit. The Godfather uses Scotch whisky, while the French Connection uses cognac; the amaretto and preparation over ice are the same. Cognac makes the drink fruitier and smoother, while whisky is maltier and sometimes slightly smoky. Both are served in a low glass.
Which glass do you use for a French Connection?
An old fashioned glass of 25 to 32 cl, with a thick base. The IBA builds the drink directly in the glass over ice cubes, so there must be room for ice and a bar spoon. If you prefer to drink it without ice, a cognac glass is a good alternative.
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