While beautiful taken neat, Scotch needn’t stay lonely in a glass. Don’t shy away from being a bit creative, either, as Scotch is a lot more versatile than you might first think. Whether you’re going for a traditional Whisky Sour or spicing up a Bloody Mary, try Scotch in a cocktail today!
Bloody Scotsman
This classic cocktail is normally made with vodka, but adding Scotch gives it a fiery kick that can tackle the Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce. Don’t forget the all important celery!
Ingredients:
45ml Scotch whisky
90ml tomato juice
15ml lemon juice
1 dash Tabasco
2 dash Worcestershire sauce
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
celery, for garnish
Method:
Add Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to a highball glass. Pour all other ingredients in, add ice and stir. Garnish with a celery stick and enjoy!
Scotch Sour
The classic we know and love dearly, a Scotch Sour never fails to liven up an evening. If you want to make this vegan, you can either leave out the egg white for a No-Foam Sour, or swap it for a tablespoon and a half of aquafaba (that’s the juice out of a chickpea can!).
Ingredients:
50ml Scotch whisky
25ml fresh lemon juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 egg white
twist of orange, for garnish
Method:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with no ice and shake. Add ice and shake for 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over ice and garnish with a twist of orange.
Scotch Paloma
A Paloma probably isn’t the first cocktail you’d jump to when thinking about Scotch - Mexico and Scotland don’t exactly have the same atmosphere. However, swapping out a reposado or añejo tequila for Scotch keeps that same caramel richness while adding an interesting twist to this Mexican classic. If you don’t have spicy honey, regular is fine!
Ingredients:
35ml Scotch whisky
35ml grapefruit juice
35ml spicy honey
club soda
grapefruit slice, for garnish
Method:
Add all ingredients but club soda to an ice-filled glass and stir. Once chilled, top with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit slice. Enjoy!
Rusty Nail
Don’t worry, you don’t need to search through your medical files to see if you’ve had a tetanus jab to drink this cocktail. This kind of Rusty Nail is the ultimate Scotch cocktail of days gone by. So, pull out that bottle of Drambuie Scotch whisky liqueur and give it a go!
Ingredients:
60ml Scotch whisky
15ml Drambuie
Method:
Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass and stir until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and enjoy!
The Godfather
Named after the iconic 1972 film, The Godfather cocktail adds a welcome bit of Italian flair to a classic Scotch. While the nutty Amaretto slightly softens the whisky, the almond-flavoured liqueur doesn’t take away any of the flavour. This recipe calls for quite exact measurements, but the ratio is really up to you and your personal tastes, so don’t take it by the book. This cocktail is an offer you can’t refuse.
Ingredients:
60ml blended Scotch whisky|
7ml Amaretto
Method:
Add all ingredients to an ice-filled mixing glass and stir until well chilled. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and enjoy!
Blood & Sand
This cocktail is another Scotch cocktail that has been around for eons, first appearing in 1930! At first, the ingredients might baffle you - orange juice, cherry liqueur AND Scotch - but once you’ve tried it you’ll know what all the fuss is about! Stay away from very smoky Scotches for this recipe, and fresh orange juice is a MUST.
Ingredients:
20ml Scotch whisky
20ml sweet vermouth
20ml cherry liqueur
20ml freshly squeezed orange juice
twist of orange, for garnish
Method:
Add all ingredients to an ice-filled cocktail shaker and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe or martini glass and garnish with a twist of orange. Enjoy!
Flying Scotsman
Named after the famous steam train, the Flying Scotsman is a cocktail allegedly served to first-class passengers on the train, which broke the record for the first steam train to reach 100mph! Both simple and delicious, this cocktail will make you feel like a first-class mixologist when you master it.
Ingredients:
50ml Scotch whisky
45ml sweet vermouth
5ml sugar syrup
2 dash Angostura bitters
black cherry, for garnish
Method:
Stir all ingredients in a cocktail glass with ice. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, preferably over a large ice cube. Garnish with a black cherry. Up, up and away!
For more cocktail inspiration be it gin, vodka, tequila or whisk(e)y click here!