The Rusty Nail is yet another cocktail that seemingly explodes out of nowhere and enjoys a (in cocktail terms) long run of popularity. It shows up somewhere between 1940 and 1950, before being introduced to the Rat Pack. The result was people across the country enjoying Rusty Nails, before suddenly, they disappear from restaurant menus and cocktail drinker’s minds. Which is a shame, because as classics go, this simple two part recipe of scotch and scotch based liqueur has a lot going for it to keep you coming back.
Rusty Nail
The Rusty Nail is a classic cocktail that balances rich and sweet beautifully. The scotch provides cereal notes, earthy touches, hints of smoke, and notes of pome fruit. The Drambuie kicks it into high gear with more floral notes from the heather, baking spices, orange peel, and marmalade. The result is complex and warm cocktail, with a strong backbone and smooth, rich, mouth feel.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
I have an old love of this drink from my days late in college. It has a complexity that varies with the scotch applied, but yet conveys a certain sophistication without being overwhelmingly boozy and aggressive. Perhaps the only debate with the Rusty Nail is ratio. While the original spec is 2:1, 1:1 ratios aren’t uncommon (although they are quite sweet). Some modern interpretations go the other way, recommending a drier, more scotch forward 4:1 ratio. Our recommendation is that you start with the original recipe listed here, before adjusting to taste.
The simplicity of this drink also makes it a good drink for those experimenting with scotch or cocktails. If a bar has Drambuie, they can make this drink. At only two ingredients it’s also a great beginner cocktail that demonstrates how a drink can be more than the sum of it’s parts.
- Scotch – Scotch makes up over 60% of this drink, so the choice of scotch matters. In general, Drambuie works better with lighter, less peat heavy scotches. These scotches allow the floral notes to shine, while also giving room for the spice and orange to tease more out of the scotch. We would recommend Glenlivet 12, Great King Street Artist’s Blend (which we used for this Rusty Nail), or Dewar’s White Label.
- Drambuie – Drambuie is a scotch based liqueur that gives off floral, honey, spice, and orange notes. There aren’t a lot of scotch based liqueurs that are widely available, so Drambuie is probably your best bet. The flavor profile might be closest to Benedictine, but it won’t be nearly as good as Drambuie in this drink. Use the original spec whenever possible for best results.
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