Rusty Nail
Blended Scotch and Drambuie over ice. Honeyed, herbal and warming, and as simple as a cocktail gets.
- MethodBuilt
- GlassRocks (old fashioned) glass
- IceOne large cube
- Strengthabout 36.4% ABV
- BaseWhiskey, Liqueur-led
- Tastesweet, strong, herbal
Recipe
| 45 ml 1½ oz | Blended Scotch whisky |
| 22.5 ml ¾ oz | Drambuie |
Garnish. A strip of lemon peel squeezed over the top; its oil cuts the sweetness of the liqueur.
Method
- Put one large cube in a rocks glass.
- Pour in the Scotch and the Drambuie.
- Stir gently for 15 to 20 seconds to chill and mix.
- Express the lemon peel over the top and drop it in.
About the Rusty Nail
The Rusty Nail is Scotch whisky sweetened with Drambuie, a Scotch-based liqueur flavoured with honey, herbs and spice. It is a two-ingredient after-dinner drink, rich and warming. The proportion is a matter of taste: two to one is drier, equal parts closer to a liqueur.
History
Documented
Scotch and Drambuie were mixed under several names in the mid-20th century before this one stuck. The name Rusty Nail took hold in the United States around the early 1960s, and the Drambuie company is reported to have endorsed it in 1963. It was a fashionable order through the 1960s and 70s and is often associated with the Rat Pack.
Legend and lore
A Scotch-and-Drambuie drink called the B.I.F., said to have been made for the British Industries Fair in 1937, is often given as the first version. Others credit the 21 Club in New York or a bar in Hawaii. The story that it was once stirred with an actual rusty nail is a joke, not history.
Disputed or unclear: Who first mixed the drink, and the details of the 1937 B.I.F., rest on secondary accounts.
Variations
- Rusty Nail with peat. A smoky Islay malt in place of the blend, or a few drops floated on top.
- Godfather. Whisky and amaretto in the same proportions.
- Old Fashioned. Whiskey sweetened with sugar and bitters instead of a liqueur.
Bartender's notes
- Start at two parts Scotch to one part Drambuie and add more liqueur only if you want it sweeter.
- A single large cube keeps it cold without diluting it much, which suits a slow after-dinner drink.
