The Rusty Nail Cocktail is a cult drink highly respected in Scotland and England. It is believed that only with such alcohol can a Scot warm on a chilly morning, while a “soft-bodied” Englishman will find him pleasant and very versatile. At the moment, this cocktail is extremely common in the UK, where it is prepared with pleasure at home, as the classic recipe is incredibly simple. However, it is unlikely that a Russian person will be able to make such a drink with his own hands: the fact is that this will require a special honey liquor.
Brief excerpts from history
Folklore says that the Rusty Nail cocktail appeared as an allusion to the eternal confrontation between the Scots and the British. It is believed that his inventor was a stiff aristocrat from England, who, having arrived in Scotland, in one of the local pubs asked to give him a local whiskey with honey liquor, and also remember to add a wand to the glass in order to stir the drink.
The bartender fulfilled the wish by filling the glass to the brim, but instead of the wand he recommended the stranger visitor to use a rusty nail that just stuck out of the countertop.
What the official story says
According to the documented history of the Rusty Nail cocktail, the drink first appeared in public in 1963 during a social event after a performance by Frank Sinatra and The Rat Pack. Then he liked the audience, who noted the very soft, enveloping taste of the drink, after which such an original combination gained a lot of admirers.
However, honey moonshine, also known as mead, was distributed in the UK long before the "Rusty Nail" appeared, so it is quite possible that this drink has a much more impressive history than is known to contemporaries.
Classic recipe
The generally accepted Rusty Nail cocktail recipe is extremely simple. In fact, it can be represented in this way:
- Scotch single malt whiskey - 50 ml;
- honey liquor "Drambui" - 25 ml;
- ice in cubes - 120 g.
The most reliable ratio is 1: 2, however, in some pubs an equal ratio of scotch and liquor is served, which makes the Rusty Nail cocktail even softer, even feminine. Later, other variations of the drink appeared, however, all of them are inferior in popularity to the authentic counterpart.
What is liquor "Drambui"
Real honey liquor "Drambuy" is produced by one family from Edinburgh since 1906. The alcohol content in the drink is 40%, while the exposure reaches 17 years. Liquor is very much appreciated for its soft aftertaste and spice, since anise, cloves, heather are present in the recipe.
It is Drambui that is considered a cultivated mead, since this recipe is closest to the original ale - heather honey, although it is made on the basis of aged whiskey and aged in barrels of this alcohol. It is noteworthy that the original drink, Drambui liquor, is served a little warm, and real connoisseurs of taste recommend warming it in your hands a little before drinking.
How can I replace components
The very fact that someone is trying to replace the components in the Rusty Nail cocktail would horrify the Scot. However, there are still such omissions. Changing Scotch tape is highly discouraged, because the drink will be bitter, and the final palette of taste will disappoint. However, on the Web there are even such recipes in which Scotch single malt whiskey was replaced with vodka. Instead of liquor, you can use tincture on anise, heather or honey, but more affordable, and therefore cheaper. You can even consider similar alcohol, but of a different brand. However, it is always worth remembering that the Rusty Nail cocktail, whose photo is located above, does not tolerate changes and is most pleasant in its original form.