Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

6 Essential Scotch Cocktails That You Need to Know

By

Scotch whisky isn’t called the water of life for nothing — it’s a divine spirit that works on so many levels. It brightens the days of the sad and it calms the nerve-wracked masses. It’s always there for you. You can drink it neat, on the rocks, or with a few drops of water — however you choose, it’s a wonderful liquor.

We will admit that there are times that we want to enjoy Scotch whisky in a cocktail.  We’re not saying use that bottle of Macallan 50 Years Old to mix up a drink, but if you’ve got a nice mid-shelf whisky, you can occasionally step outside your comfort zone and mix up a Scotch whisky cocktail to drink any time of the day. Below, you’ll find four classic Scotch cocktails for this summer. Try a classic whisky riff and one modern classic (courtesy of New York City bartender Sam Ross) that you should know how to make for yourself and for any of the Scotch-loving people in your life.

Recommended Videos

Need to pick up a bottle of Scotch to try these cocktails out? We’ve found the best Scotch under $50.

Related

More Cocktail Recipes:

The Rusty Nail

Ingredients:

Method:

  1. Add ingredients to a rock glass filled with ice.
  2. Stir and garnish with a twist of lemon.

The Rob Roy

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Scotch whisky
  • .75 oz sweet vermouth
  • 2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir.
  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry.

The Bobby Burns

A classic riff on the Rob Roy Alaincouillaud / Getty Images

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Scotch whisky
  • .75 oz sweet vermouth
  • .25 oz Bénédictine
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir.
  2. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

The Blood and Sand

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ingredients:

  • .75 oz blended Scotch whisky
  • .75 oz sweet vermouth
  • .75 oz Cherry Heering
  • .75 oz blood orange juice

Method:

  1. Put all ingredients in a shaker with ice.
  2. Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  3. Garnish with an orange peel.

The Presbyterian

highball cocktail japan
Brent Hofacker / Adobe Stock

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz blended Scotch whisky
  • Ginger ale, to fill

Method:

  1. Add ice to a highball glass.
  2. Pour in Scotch and top with ginger ale.
  3. Stir briefly to incorporate.

Penicillin

whiskey cocktail lemon rocks glass
Image used with permission by copyright holder

(Created by Sam Ross, New York City)

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz blended Scotch whisky
  • .25 oz Islay single malt Scotch
  • .75 oz fresh lemon juice
  • .75 oz honey syrup
  • 3 slices fresh ginger

Method:

  1. Muddle ginger in a cocktail shaker until well broken up. Add blended Scotch, lemon, and honey syrup.
  2. Add ice and shake well.
  3. Double strain into a rocks glass with ice and float the Islay Scotch over top by pouring over the back a bar spoon.

Once you’ve mastered these essential Scotch cocktails, try mixing up some of these other easy cocktail recipes.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Sam Slaughter
Sam Slaughter
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Sam Slaughter was the Food and Drink Editor for The Manual. Born and raised in New Jersey, he’s called the South home for…
Cocktail bitters 101: Everything you need to know about the ingredients that will make your drinks as good as the pros
What are bitters, exactly?
Cocktail bitters

Have you ever enjoyed a Manhattan, an old-fashioned, or a Sazerac? Besides whiskey, all these drinks have one thing in common: cocktail bitters. The first two aren’t complete without a few dashes of Angostura bitters, and the latter isn’t ready without some Louisiana classic Peychaud’s bitters. If you’re an avid home mixologist, you know all about the benefits of cocktail bitters, but others don’t know what they’re missing.

Since we’re only at the beginning of how important bitters are to a well-constructed cocktail, let’s take a deep dive into this mysterious ingredient. It’s found on home bar carts from Temecula to Tampa, but what do you really know about it?

Read more
The classic whiskey cocktails you need in your bartending repertoire
If whiskey is your thing, you must know how to whip up these classic cocktails
Sazerac classic whiskey cocktail

Ever wonder why so many of the classic cocktails out there involve whiskey? Because the spirit is versatile, it comes in various forms (rye, bourbon, Scotch, etc.) and takes kindly to several complementary ingredients. And while there are countless recipes you should explore, there are five you really must know.

Yes, like classic gin cocktails or classic tequila cocktails, classic whiskey cocktails are combinations you should know by heart and work to perfect with little tweaks here and there. They get adorned with the classic name because the combinations are tried and true, standing the test of time. But that doesn't mean you can't have fun with them, as we always encourage you to play around with things like whiskey type, liqueur type, bitters type, and more. They're classics, sure, but they can still be tailor made for your own palate.

Read more
6 LGBTQ winemakers you need to know
Want to celebrate a great LGBTQ winemaker and their work? Here are some great options
A clank of two rainbow glasses

As the wine industry keeps on putting in the work when it comes to real diversity, the community is increasingly blessed with added personalities and perspectives. The scene, which is still arguably dominated by white males, is making way for things such as Black-owned drinks brands, female ownership, and inclusion in general.
One area that remains relatively unrepresented in the industry is the queer community. LGBTQ winemakers take up such a small section of the American wine world that their stories typically go untold. There’s momentum at work looking to change this, what with special tour groups and  orchestrated around wine, but by and large, the gay winemaking realm is lacking in resources, awareness, and appreciation. 
Wine is for everybody. Until the disproportionate demographic stats within the industry start to level out, there are still barriers to tear down. Fortunately, with wine, that can translate into enjoying a glass of syrah while supporting inclusivity and equal access. Here are six out-of-the-closet winemakers whose excellent work should be on your radar. 

Joe Wolosz and Jeff Durham
, based in the Napa Valley, specializes in Bordeaux-style red blends, along with chardonnay and rose. The winemaking reigns are held by partners Joe Wolosz and Jeff Durham, a duo known in the Yountville area for their warm brand of hospitality. The couple was born in raised in California and operates with a genuine sense of pride and ownership in showing off rare wine-growing powers.

Read more