Rob Roy
Blended Scotch, sweet vermouth and bitters, stirred and served up. The Manhattan with a Scottish accent.
- MethodStirred
- GlassCoupe
- IceNone (served up)
- Strengthabout 22.7% ABV
- BaseWhiskey
- Tastestrong, sweet, smoky
Recipe
| 60 ml 2 oz | Blended Scotch whisky |
| 30 ml 1 oz | Sweet (red) vermouth |
| 2 dashes | Aromatic bitters (Angostura-style) |
Garnish. A cocktail cherry, or a strip of lemon peel expressed over the top; the lemon suits a smokier whisky.
Method
- Chill a coupe.
- Put the whisky, vermouth and bitters in a mixing glass with plenty of ice.
- Stir for about 25 seconds, until cold.
- Strain into the chilled coupe and garnish.
About the Rob Roy
The Rob Roy is a Manhattan made with Scotch. A blended whisky gives a lighter, maltier drink than rye, and any hint of peat brings a faint smokiness that sits well with the vermouth's dried fruit and spice. It is softer than its American cousin and a little drier.
History
Documented
Rob Roy, a comic opera by Reginald De Koven about the Scottish outlaw, opened in New York in the autumn of 1894, and Scotch Manhattans under the name start to be noticed in New York around then. Researchers have reported a Scotch version of the Manhattan printed in London some years earlier, without the name.
Legend and lore
The drink is usually said to have been created at the Waldorf Hotel in New York to mark the opening of the operetta. The link with the show is plausible, but no menu or recipe from 1894 has been found to confirm the Waldorf as the birthplace, and other New York bars have been named too. A brandy drink called the Rob Roy existed in New York some twenty years earlier and is unrelated.
Disputed or unclear: The exact place and year of creation are not documented; 1894 comes from the operetta's premiere.
Variations
- Manhattan. The parent, with rye or bourbon.
- Bobby Burns. A Rob Roy with a barspoon of Bénédictine in place of the bitters.
- Perfect Rob Roy. The vermouth split equally between sweet and dry.
- Blood and Sand. Scotch and sweet vermouth again, with cherry liqueur and orange juice, shaken.
Bartender's notes
- A light, fruity blended Scotch is the classic choice; a peaty single malt can overwhelm the vermouth.
- Taste with 2 dashes of bitters, then decide whether you want a third; Scotch takes bitters less readily than rye.
