Scotch Cocktails

[Chris Amirault]

Inspired by Erik's excursion in the Savoy Affinity Cocktail (click), when I saw a bottle of the Compass Box Asyla scotch, I snapped it up. I made a few Affinity Cocktails and haven't been swept away.

However, today I snooped around www.cocktaildb.com and found The Bairn, a fine simple cocktail with scotch, Cointreau, and orange bitters. The first, which was lovely, was with Regan's bitters; the second just now, which was utterly transcendent, was with Fee Brothers -- particularly with an orange twist that's a bit fatter than it ought to be.

It got me to thinking that there are probably some fine scotch cocktails out there that get short shrift because of the overwhelming tendency to drink scotch neat. Others?

[KatieLoeb]

Blood & Sand

3/4 oz Scotch whisky

3/4 oz rosso vermouth

1/4 oz cherry brandy

1 1/2 oz orange juice

Shake over ice cubes, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve.

I'm not a big fan of scotch and I even like these.

[ThinkingBartender]

Rusty Nail.

1 1/2 shots Scotch,

1 shot Drambuie.

Stir with ice, and then strain into an ice-filled whisky glass.

[Dave Weinstein]

Rusty Nail.

1 1/2 shots Scotch,

1 shot Drambuie.

Stir with ice, and then strain into an ice-filled whisky glass.

←

You can also make the Rusty Nail mixed 50-50 (which is my preference).

[eje]

Well, there's no accounting for taste!

Here're a couple similar, but, different Scotch cocktails.

Maybe one or the other will pickle your fancy.

Bobbie Burns (Savoy Cocktail Book)

1/2 Scotch

1/2 Italian Vermouth (Carpano Antica quite tasty here!)

2 dashes Benedictine

Lemon Twist

Robert Burns (Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book)

3/4 Scotch

1/4 Italian Vermouth

Dash Orange Bitters

Dash Absinthe (Pastis)

[thirtyoneknots]

Second the Blood and Sand, though I make them more like this. I actually am not terribly fond of Scotch, at least not blends, but oddly enough there are times when nothing but scotch will do, so I do keep some around (B&S doesn't really count in that area for me though since it isn't terribly scotchy in flavor). I do enjoy Drambuie though.

On any given day, though, I'd much rather have a cocktail with Irish whiskey than scotch. I do love me some Irish whiskey cocktails.

-Andy

[jackal10]

Whisky Mac

Whisky hot lemon and honey (sovereign for colds)

but mostly what goes with good whisky is more good whisky...

[slkinsey]

Blood & Sand

3/4 oz Scotch whisky

3/4 oz rosso vermouth

1/4 oz cherry brandy

1 1/2 oz orange juice

Shake over ice cubes, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and serve.

I'm not a big fan of scotch and I even like these.

These proportions seem extremely untraditional for a B&S... so much so that I'd hesitate to call it a Blood and Sand at all. I do equal parts of all four, which is the most commonly-seen recipe for a B&S, although Doc's recipe features a touch more scotch and orange against the vermouth and cherry brandy. I sometimes like to throw in a dash of Lagavullin to punch up the smoke, but I consider this a step away from the real thing -- although I suppose I could consider it the same as using a really smoky blended. As discussed here in another thread, I think the choice of cherry brandy (I recommend either Cherry Heering or Cherry Marnier) makes a big difference.

Phil Ward, now at Death & Company in NYC, has always had a nice touch with scotch. There's a good one of his at Pegu Club blending scotch and applejack. He also once made me an unnamed "scotchtail" that was more or less a Sidecar using blended scotch and Drambuie in place of Cognac and Cointreau, along with a dash of Angostura at the end.

[ThinkingBartender]

J & B Sour (Scotch Sour).

2 shots J & B

1 shot Fresh Lemon Juice

1/2 shot Sugar Syrup (9:1)

Eggwhite

Shake with ice, and then stain into an ice-filled whisky glass; Garnish with a lemon slice.

Royal Regalia.

Created by George Sinclair (2005).

1 1/2 shots Chivas Regal,

1/2 shot Mandarine Napoleon,

1 shot Fresh Lemon Juice,

3/4 shot Strawberry Puree,

2 shots Cranberry Juice.

Shake with ice, and then strain into an ice-filled tall glass; Garnish with a lemon slice, and half a strawberry.

[KatieLoeb]

These proportions seem extremely untraditional for a B&S... so much so that I'd hesitate to call it a Blood and Sand at all. I do equal parts of all four, which is the most commonly-seen recipe for a B&S, although Doc's recipe features a touch more scotch and orange against the vermouth and cherry brandy.

That's what I get for never having made one. I googled the cocktail and the first two recipes I saw were the one I quoted. I figured if it was the same in two sources it must be right.

I like your proportions better. As I recall, the B&S I tasted at Pegu had a distinctly "tequila sunrise" flavor to it that could only come from a higher proportion of cherry brandy with the OJ.

[pziemba]

I've had two great scotch cocktails recently, both at Pegu Club.

Last night I was there and had the cocktail slkinsey mentioned - I believe it has equal parts scotch & bonded applejack, with a dash or two of Peychaud's bitters. It's called the 'Jersey Kilt'.

Less recently, I was there with a friend, who asked for a good cocktail with scotch. They brought back their version of the Rob Roy, the "Fitz Roy", which I think is simply a Rob Roy made with a particular type of scotch - Compass Box Peat Monster. Very, very tasty!

[limewine]

Bobbie Burns (Savoy Cocktail Book)

1/2 Scotch

1/2 Italian Vermouth (Carpano Antica quite tasty here!)

2 dashes Benedictine

Lemon Twist

←

A variation of the Bobbie Burns calls for Drambuie in place of the Benedictine. This version is very nice, and worth exploring (though the Benedictine version is dandy, too).

[gethin]

Pintxo People (a tapas/cocktail bar in Brighton on the UK South Coast) used to have a really nice whisky/coffee/lemon cocktail using a smoky Islay malt (possibly Laphroaig Quarter Cask) Toussaint coffee liqueur and a twisted lemon peel. seems to have disappeared from the menu (to be replaced by a bourbon/coffee number).

The coffee/smoke/lemon combination works really well. I guess Lemon Bitters , for those lucky ones amongst you that have access to them, would probably add something to it as well.

gethin

[willr]

Having just bought a bottle of Peat Monster, I'd like to try making a Penicillin cocktail.

There doesn't seem to be any posting on this so far, so any guidance on proportions welcome!

[slkinsey]

I've tried it a few times something like this:

2 oz : Famous Grouse (or other blended scotch)

3/4 oz : lemon juice

3/4 oz : honey syrup

Rinse : Lagavullin (or other peaty scotch)

Fresh ginger slices

Muddle few pieces fresh ginger; add liquids and ice; shake; double strain into glass rinsed with peaty scotch. I've also had this one strained onto the rocks with a spritzed-on "float" of the peaty scotch.

[willr]

I've tried it a few times something like this:

2 oz : Famous Grouse (or other blended scotch)

3/4 oz : lemon juice

3/4 oz : honey syrup

Rinse : Lagavullin (or other peaty scotch)

Fresh ginger slices

Muddle few pieces fresh ginger; add liquids and ice; shake; double strain into glass rinsed with peaty scotch.  I've also had this one strained onto the rocks with a spritzed-on "float" of the peaty scotch.

←

Thanks! Worked a treat - although next time I'll go a little easier on the ginger and make the honey syrup more concentrated

[Chris Amirault]

Rachel Maddow judged a scotch competition held by The Gothamist that has an array of interesting drinks. One, by Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills, intrigues me in particular:

Scotch Zoom

3/4 oz. honey

3/4 oz. cream

2 oz. Scotch whisky

Shake & strain into a chilled coupe.

Anyone know what scotch that is?

[bostonapothecary]

Rachel Maddow judged a scotch competition held by The Gothamist that has an array of interesting drinks. One, by Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills, intrigues me in particular:

Scotch Zoom

3/4 oz. honey

3/4 oz. cream

2 oz. Scotch whisky

Shake & strain into a chilled coupe.

Anyone know what scotch that is?

what kind of honey is it? chestnut flower would be nice.

[brinza]

Has anyone here ever made Atholl Brose? I'm curious as to what it's like, what people think of it, and recommended ways to make it. Probably more of a dessert than a cocktail, per se, but the idea is intriguing nevertheless.

[db_campbell]

Rachel Maddow judged a scotch competition held by The Gothamist that has an array of interesting drinks. One, by Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills, intrigues me in particular:

Scotch Zoom

3/4 oz. honey

3/4 oz. cream

2 oz. Scotch whisky

Shake & strain into a chilled coupe.

Anyone know what scotch that is?

Can't say for certain from the pictures which bottle Richard actually poured from, but there are numerous bottles of Dalmore on the counter.

[Blether]

Whisky Mac

Whisky hot lemon and honey (sovereign for colds)

but mostly what goes with good whisky is more good whisky...

That's interesting. In Scotland what you've just described is known as a hot toddy. A Whisky Mac is a scotch-and-ginger cocktail using (Crabbie's) Green Ginger wine, half-amd-half or a bit stronger.

And this topic bubbling up again, because as I mentioned today on another thread, a very common approach to low-key whisky drinking in Scotland - when folk drop round casually on a weekend afternoon, say - is to take it diluted to taste with good water. In the countryside, water from the tap. If your water's not so tasty, then bottled. Often no ice, funnily enough - we like to say you can taste the whisky better that way, though it's hard to blame anyone for it in a hot climate.

Drinking whisky neat can be a good way to show how tough you are, but it may not be very fair to the drinker or to the whisky.

I can't think of an original Scotch cocktail. If we say that Drambuie is basically Scotch and syrup, then there's the 'Dan Sting' - equal measures Vodka, Drambuie, Cointreau, topped up with lemonade (read: 7-up, or get fancy with homemade using lemon juice, sugar/syrup & water), serve with ice & twist. Very refreshing - like just drinking fruit juice... till the next morning. That's the only time in my life I was ever travel sick on a motorbike.

[Blether]

Has anyone here ever made Atholl Brose? ...

Hi, Mike. No, but it's definitely a drink rather than a dessert, if not exactly a cocktail. It's a mixture of fine oatmeal, clear honey, cold water and whisky, bottled, sealed and left for a couple of days. I checked, and the book's out of print - according to it (British measures) 1/2lb, 1/2lb, 1 cup, 2 pints, in that order.

"Traditional Scottish Food" (Chambers) also describes:

Lamb's Milk

1 part whisky

2 parts cold fresh milk

Edited October 2, 2009 by Blether (log)

[KD1191]

If I can be forgiven for name-dropping, I will back up Blether on the topic of the Whisky Mac. Colin Field told me that it should be blended Scotch Whisky (he likes Famous Grouse) and green ginger wine (Stone's is the only version I've found in the U.S.), enjoyed warm (perhaps by adding a bit of hot water) and in whatever ratio the circumstances dictate. He said it was a favorite drink of students at University, and so I imagine a touch more whisky than wine or water. Adding a bit of green chartreuse adds more spice complexity than the ginger wine can lend alone.

Edited October 2, 2009 by KD1191 (log)

[shantytownbrown]

I will attest to the combination of scotch whisky and ginger being a good combination; although Stone's is not been seen by me in my area, I have been making a combo of blended whisky (i have used both Famous Grouse and JW black) and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur in variing proportions depending on mood; and either rocks or up; I have heard it called a Black Ginger...I guess it is like a ginger rusty nail

[Blether]

Hmm. I meant to say above, "... this topic bubbling up again is a nice coincidence... ".

If I can be forgiven for name-dropping

Friends in high places ?

In those days it didn't advertise itself as a component of the The Famous Grouse in the way it now does, but I grew up only 5 miles or so from Glen Turret. We Perthshire lads always considered Grouse our local whisky nevertheless. (Colin Field would be pleased with my endorsement of his choice, I'm sure).

At the same time it seems to me that the ginger provides plenty of 'bite' for a Whisky Mac. The Famous Grouse is a good blend, but not the smoothest, and given the choice you could do well with Dewar's or to repeat myself again, Teachers Highland Cream, that I like as the smoothest of the blended whiskies that I've come across. I'd choose Grouse first in any of the milk / cream / honey type of combinations, where Teachers would be adding smooth to smooth like insult to injury. (On taste I rate Grouse better than any JW, Bell's, Whyte & McKay, Cutty Sark and certain others in any application). All this assuming I were maintaining a stock of various whiskies, and a serious aficionado - in reality where I am now, Grouse suddenly doubled in price at some point a year or so ago, and is now significantly undercut by blended Scotch of equal quality, if different character.

I wonder if there's a topic around eG on Blended Scotch whiskies.

ETA: The other popular combination in 'the old country' of course was Scotch & Wry - something of a curate's egg, but we liked it.

Edited October 2, 2009 by Blether (log)