Rusty Nail

A two-ingredient Scotch nightcap whose entire character is restraint: blended Scotch met by Drambuie, the honey-, heather-, and herb-laced Scotch liqueur, built over ice and stirred until cold. The result is round, gently sweet, and warming. Its origins are tangled — a 1937 trade-fair drink, the early-1960s bartenders of Manhattan's 21 Club, and a 1963 endorsement by Drambuie's Gina MacKinnon all have a claim — but it found its lasting fame as a Rat Pack favorite.

ClassicSpirit-ForwardAfter Dinner

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ozBlended Scotch
  • 0.75 ozHoney Scotch Liqueur

Garnish: Lemon Peel

Preparation

Stirred · Rocks · Cubed

  1. 1.

    build

    Fill a rocks glass with ice and pour the Scotch and Drambuie directly over it.

  2. 2.

    stir

    Stir gently to chill and combine.

  3. 3.

    garnish

    Express a lemon twist over the surface and drop it in (an orange peel is a common alternative).

Flavor Profile

sweet
36%
smoky
31%
body
30%
heat
24%
spiced
20%
viscosity
19%