Rob Roy
A poised, silky whisky cocktail of Scotch, sweet vermouth and a touch of aromatic bitters.
Ingredients
- Blended Scotch60 ml
- Sweet vermouth, fresh and aromatic30 ml
- Aromatic bitters (Angostura)e.g. Angostura2 dashes
- Cocktail cherry, to garnish (optional)1 whole
Method
- Fill a mixing glass three-quarters with ice cubes.
- Pour in the Scotch, sweet vermouth and bitters.
- Stir calmly for 15–20 seconds, until ice cold and lightly diluted.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a cocktail cherry and serve straight away.
Waldorf Hotel, New York (1894)
About this drink
The Rob Roy was created in 1894 at the Waldorf Hotel in New York, named after the premiere of an operetta about the Scottish folk hero Rob Roy MacGregor. It is essentially a Manhattan in a kilt: the rye is swapped for Scotch, which gives the drink a rounder, maltier and sometimes gently smoky character. It has been a fixture of the classic repertoire ever since, loved for its simple, unshakeable balance.
