Mixology Monday: Drambuie

On September 19, there will be a special tasting of Drambuie at the Lawrenceville store. You might think that Drambuie is Old School. You'd be right, but in a good way. Like so many classic cocktails, there's a good story behind Drambuie.

The story of Drambuie begins over 267 years ago in July 1746. Prince Charles Edward Stuart (known also as Bonnie Prince Charlie) was on the run, after defeat at the Battle of Culloden had ended his hopes of restoring the Stuarts to the throne of Great Britain.

The Prince was pursued by the King’s men across the Highlands and Islands of Western Scotland, bravely aided by many Highland Clans. Among them was Clan MacKinnon whose chief, John MacKinnon, helped the Prince escape from The Isle of Skye. In thanks for his bravery the Prince gave John MacKinnon the secret recipe to his personal liqueur, a gift that the Clan were to treasure down the generations. An extraordinary elixir that would, many years later, become known to the world as Drambuie.

In 1873, the recipe was passed on to John Ross of The Broadford Hotel on Skye, who started making it to serve in his hotel. Customers who tasted it commented in Gaelic that it was “an dram buidheach“, the drink that satisfies shortened to Drambuie.

History is great and all, but here's why Drambuie remains relevant -and delicious- today: it's a great base for a cocktail. Test these recipes for yourself.

Rusty Nail

1 part Drambuie
1 part Scotch whisky
ice

Serve in a rocks glass

Cran Dram

1 oz Drambuie
7 oz cranberry juice
Serve over ice in a long glass. Garnish with lime wedge.

Rusty Royale

A little something different for your next Sunday brunch?

1/2 oz Drambuie
4 oz sparkling wine

Pour into a chilled flute and stir gently. Garnish with a blackberry and a twist of orange.