Honey-Smacked Whisky Cocktails

Drambuie is a scotch-based liqueur infused with honey, herbs, and spices, resulting in a sweet but complex flavor profile. “You get rich, golden sweetness from the honey and smooth, herbal notes that come through in the background, and it also carries a subtle hint of warmth from the whisky itself,” notes Zak Lindahl, beverage director at the National Autograph Collection Hotel in Oklahoma City. “In cocktails, Drambuie brings balance and depth, offering sweetness with a spicy edge that’s not overwhelmingly sugary.”

Drambuie and scotch are a natural pair, like in the classic Rusty Nail, a simple mix of the two ingredients. “The herbal and honeyed elements in Drambuie enhance the natural warmth and smokiness of scotch, creating a more rounded and harmonious drink,” Lindahl says, adding that he prefers using a peated scotch with Drambuie, but that the liqueur is versatile enough to work with any whisky.

“Drambuie is such a simple addition to a whisky cocktail that elevates the drink but doesn’t overshadow the whisky,” Lindahl says. “It’s the perfect way to create a drink that feels both classic and sophisticated without needing a ton of ingredients or advanced techniques.”

Damn Fine Rusty Nail

Nicholas Bennett, New York-based bartender

• 1 ½ oz. Monkey Shoulder (or other scotch blended malt)
• ½ oz. Drambuie
• ¼ oz. Becherovka herbal liqueur
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 2 dashes Bittermens Hoppped Grapefruit bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Mr B.

Tom Briola, bartender at Butcher Bar in Philadelphia

• 1½ oz. Wild Turkey rye (or similar)
• ½ oz. Drambuie
• ½ oz. red wine syrup (recipe below)
• 2 dashes Bitter Bastards Kola bitters

Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a rocks glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Red Wine Syrup

Combine 1/2 cup red wine and 1/3 cup sugar over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat while scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent scorching, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

The Rusty Bee Sting

Maxime Daniel, bartender at Velveteen Rabbit in Las Vegas

• 1½ oz. Westland (or other American single malt)
• ½ oz. Drambuie
• ¾ oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
• ½ oz. lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with a lemon peel and candied ginger.

Satisfaction

Juyoung Kang, head of beverage at Doberman Drawing Room in Las Vegas

• 1 oz. Compass Box Orchard House (or other scotch blended malt)
• 1 oz. Drambuie
• 3/4 oz. Liber & Co. passion fruit syrup
• Half a lime

Cut the lime into chunks and add them to a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients and muddle. Add ice and shake well, then pour into a rocks glass.