Rusty Nail
Scotch and Drambuie over ice. The 1960s two-ingredient drink that works because the liqueur is itself made of Scotch — honeyed, smoky and simple.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a rocks glass with ice, ideally one large cube.
Add the scotch and Drambuie.
Stir for 15 seconds until cold.
Express a lemon twist over the top and drop it in.
A thoughtful finish
- The 1960s ratio was equal parts; four to one is the modern drink and far better. The Drambuie is a sweetener with character, not a partner.
- A smoky or peated scotch makes a more interesting Rusty Nail; a soft blend makes the easy one. Both are correct.
- The lemon twist is not traditional but it cuts the honey and is worth it.
Common mistakes
- Equal parts. It becomes Drambuie with Scotch in it.
- Shaking. It is stirred and built.
- A cheap scotch, which the honey will not hide.
A few good questions.
What is in a Rusty Nail?
Scotch whisky and Drambuie, over ice. That is the whole recipe.
What is Drambuie?
A Scotch whisky liqueur sweetened with heather honey and flavoured with herbs and spices, made since 1909. It is the drink's sweetener and the reason the two ingredients get along.
Peated or unpeated scotch?
Either. A lightly smoky blend is the classic; a peaty Islay makes a bolder drink that the honey balances surprisingly well.
Is it sweet?
At four to one, pleasantly; at the old equal-parts ratio, very. Adjust the Drambuie to taste.
Variations
- Godfather — Scotch and amaretto.
- Whiskey Mac — Scotch and ginger wine.
- Rob Roy — Scotch, sweet vermouth and bitters.
- Penicillin — Scotch, honey, lemon and ginger.
Where it comes from
c. 1960s · New York City · 21 Club (popularised)
Contested. More than one origin is claimed for this drink. We show the competing accounts rather than pick one.
Scotch and Drambuie had been mixed before — the Drambuie company points to a ‘B.I.F.’ served at the British Industries Fair of 1937 — but the Rusty Nail as a name and a fashion belongs to 1960s New York, where the 21 Club served it to the Rat Pack and Gina MacKinnon, chair of Drambuie, endorsed the name in 1963. Stories about rusty nails stirring the drink or Scottish barn carpenters are inventions. It was the whisky drink of a decade that liked things sweet and simple, fell out of favour with the dry Martini’s return, and came back when bartenders remembered that a honeyed Scotch cocktail is a fine thing.
Sources
- Drambuie company history, 1963 (archive)
- Gary Regan, The Joy of Mixology, 2003 (book)
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
Strength. About 1.77 US standard drinks at an estimated 36.9% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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