Drinklage #5: Rusty Nail

Scotch.  Cocktail.  (dodges incoming thrown objects)

 For so many Scotch aficionados, these two words evoke a feeling of utter revulsion; that it's an act of blasphemy to defile such a finely-crafted liquor by mixing it with anything.  As a Scotch man myself, I'm inclined to agree, for the most part.  HOWEVER... there is one mixing ingredient which we should consider to be okay to mix with Scotch, as it is made of Scotch itself.  That ingredient:  Drambuie.  The cocktail:  Rusty Nail; an age-old classic which every fan of Scotch (or, you know, of drinking in general) owes it to him/herself to have an open mind about and try at least once, not only because it reveals a new potential for our favored brown nectar, but also for the simple fact that it is DAMN GOOD.

Ladies and Gents, the Rusty Nail.  Beautiful, ain't it?

First, let's talk Scotch.

 For the uninitiated, there are two "categories" of Scotch:  Single-Malt and Blended.  The Single-Malts tend to be more unique in character, higher quality, and accordingly, more expensive.  Also, the purity of the base spirit and its ingredients, which owes greatly to the strict regulations on how "Scotch" is defined, coupled with the fermentation and aging techniques that vary from one region to the next, lend themselves to a sense of "terroir" comparable to wines and cognacs.  It's fair to say that there is as much difference among individual brands of Single-Malt Scotch as there is among entirely different categories of liquor.  If you ever met a drinker who claimed to not like Scotch, chances are they just happened upon one that just happened to not be to their tastes (or got a cheap off-brand), and they really ought to keep looking.  This is one of those liquors where the extra price truly is rewarded.

Single-Malts:  you can never have too many.

 And then there's Blended Scotch.  This category started out as a means for smaller, perhaps not as good, distillers to be able to get their products to market, either by mixing together several similar malts into a cohesive blend that'd be in a marketable quantity, or by combining whiskies from different regions and styles to combine their flavors to make up for deficiencies of the individual components.  While you still do occasionally see some Blendeds that are created with this mindset (and you can often tell them apart by their under-$20 price tag and that the makers generally don't even bother to age them beyond 3 years), there are also some which are right up there with your Single-Malts in terms of quality and taste.  These are the brands that've made a name for themselves by combining the BEST attributes of the whiskies they're comprised of, to make a truly balanced blend, then aging that mixture in the same manner and duration as your decent-quality Single-Malts.

These are good-quality Blended Scotches.  None of that MacGregor or Passport shit here!

 For more detailed information on the different types of Scotch, plus how it's made, check out these awesome articles on the Art of Manliness and Serious Eats!

 

So, which type of Scotch is best for the Rusty Nail?

 Honestly, this depends on your personal tastes.  The only guideline is that you're not being absolutely wasteful with it... in other words, stick with 12 or AT MOST 15 year Scotches for this; the thing about Scotch is that the price increases exponentially with higher aging, and at a certain point, the qualities which us connoisseurs appreciate in a fine aged Scotch just get lost if you use it for anything other than drinking straight.  Now, the great thing about this drink is that, with so many styles of Scotch available, you have plenty of room for experimentation until you find a combination that works for you.

 As for my preferences I feel that Chivas Regal 12-year is perfect for cocktail applications.  It's a delightfully balanced blend, pretty much hitting all the notes you'd expect from any of the individual varieties of Scotch, but also being a bit more "assertive" in lower-aged expressions than its competitors (though Johnny Walker and Buchanan clearly outshine it in their longer-aged versions).

And finally, what you've been waiting for:  the recipe.

• 2 parts Scotch
• 1 part Drambuie
• lots of ice

 Really, it's that simple.  The standard is 1-1/2oz Scotch and 3/4oz Drambuie; I've just decided to make this one a double.  As long as you hit that 2-1 ratio though, you're golden.  Just pour them into a glass with plenty of ice, and stir until you've got some frost forming on the sides of the glass.  It can be garnished with a twist of lemon peel, but that's totally optional.

The magic ratio.

 This cocktail is best as a cold refreshment on a hot summer's evening, or as an after-dinner relaxation drink.  Though it uses a lot of ice, don't feel emasculated by any lack of potency:  the weakest ingredient is 80-proof by default, so as a cocktail it's already fairly strong... however, the extra water it adds to the drink opens up the flavors quite nicely, balancing out the alcohol burn and the honeyed sweetness of the Drambuie, leaving you with a nice, smooth, enjoyable beverage.  So just kick back, sip and enjoy it slowly.

Just a bit of frost lets you know it's perfect.

Slàinte!