5 Best Scotch Whisky Cocktails to Sip Right Now

If you’re new to Scotch whisky, you might assume that it’s not a spirit that should be used as a cocktail base. However, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, there are highly nuanced, long-aged single malt options that you absolutely shouldn’t mix. If you spent the money on a 21-year-old peated single malt from Islay, you’ll want to sip it neat or with a splash or two of water in a Glencairn whisky glass to embrace all of the complex aromas and flavours.

But the term “Scotch whisky” encapsulates more than simply expensive single malt. It’s a broad term for all whisky produced in Scotland.

It also includes more bargain-friendly single malt, single grain, blended, blended malt, and blended grain Scotch. When mixing, we recommend using a blended Scotch or a less expensive, e.g. a younger single malt Scotch like Johnnie Walker. You might be surprised to know that there’s a fair amount of flavour budget-friendly whiskies and complex Scotch whisky-based cocktails. Below, you’ll find some of our favourites.

1. Rusty Nail

If you enjoy Scotch whisky and you’re not already a fan of the Rusty Nail, you should be. A popular drink at New York’s 21 Club and among Frank Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack in the 50s and 60s, it was created in 1937 at the British Industries Fair. The original drink was called the B.I.F. Like many classic drinks, it went out of fashion for a few decades only to return with the arrival of the cocktail renaissance of the early aughts.

Featuring Scotch whisky and Drambuie (a liqueur made with Scotch, honey, heather, and various herbs and spices), it’s either made in a 1:1 format or 2:1 in favour of Scotch (depending on how potent you’d like it to be). This is a bold, boozy drink known for its mix of Scotch, honey, and spice flavours.

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz (45ml) of Scotch whisky
• ¾ oz of Drambuie

Method:

• Add the Scotch whisky and Drambuie to an ice-filled mixing glass.
• Stir gently to combine.
• Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

2. Scotch and Soda

In the pantheon of Scotch whisky-based cocktails, there aren’t many more well-known than the iconic Scotch and Soda. This simple highball cocktail combines Scotch whisky and soda water. It’s elegant, boozy, and refreshing on the hottest summer nights and any time of the year.

Like many classic drinks, Scotch and Soda has a bit of a muddled history. It’s believed to have been invented at some point in the 1800s, but the bartender who created it remains a mystery. In the early 1900s, a bartender named Patrick Duffy claimed to have created the drink. As the story goes, a well-known actor came into the Adams House in Boston in 1894 and ordered a drink featuring Scotch whisky and soda water. The rest is a boozy, slightly carbonated history.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (60ml) of Scotch whisky
• Soda water topper

Preparation:

• Add ice to a highball glass
• Pour in Scotch whisky
• Top with soda water
• Stir gently to combine
• Garnish with a lemon or lime wheel

3. Rob Roy

If you enjoy the classic Manhattan, but you’d prefer it with Scotch whisky instead, the Rob Roy is for you. This mix of Scotch whisky, Sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters was invented in 1894 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. It was named for the operetta based on the Scottish folk hero and Robin Hood-esque character Robert Roy MacGregor.

It’s known for its complex flavour profile that puts a spin on the traditional Manhattan. This is especially true if you choose to use peated Scotch whisky to add a smoky element. The vermouth adds a fruity sweetness, and it’s all rounded out with the spice and bitterness from the Angostura bitters. Garnishing the drink with a cocktail cherry adds a final flourish of decadent sweetness.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (60ml) of Scotch whisky
• ¾ oz of sweet vermouth
• 2-3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• Cocktail cherry garnish

Preparation:

• Add Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters to an ice-filled mixing glass.
• Stir gently to combine.
• Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
• Garnish with a cocktail cherry.

4. Godfather

You likely won’t be surprised to learn that the Godfather cocktail was indeed named for the beloved 1972 film, but we don’t know when it was created and by who. This combination of Scotch whisky and amaretto was extremely popular in the 1970s and into the 80s before falling out of fashion. Amaretto brand Disaronno claimed that the cocktail was a favourite of Marlon Brando, but it’s believed to simply be a store invented by the brand for marketing.

As we mentioned, the drink is simply made with Scotch whisky and amaretto. How much you use of each ingredient is up for debate as there is no official recipe. The most common recipe calls for equal parts of each resulting in a very potent, boozy cocktail featuring notes of rich, oaky, vanilla Scotch whisky and sweet, almond-like amaretto flavour.  

Ingredients:

• 1 oz (30ml) Scotch whisky
• 1 oz (30ml) amaretto

Preparation:

• Add ice to an old-fashioned glass
• Pour in Scotch whisky and amaretto
• Stir gently to combine

5. Penicillin

While many of the drinks on this list are classic cocktails, the Penicillin is one of the most beloved contemporary Scotch-based cocktails. The drink was actually created by Australian-born bartender Sam Ross in 2005 at New York’s iconic Milk & Honey bar. Named for the drug of the same name, it quickly became one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Twenty years later, it still is.

While the other drinks on this list are adaptable and can feature peated or un-peated Scotch, the recipe for The Penicillin is very specific. It’s made with blended Scotch, peated Islay single malt Scotch, lemon juice, and honey ginger syrup. The result is a smoky, sweet, well-balanced cocktail that is guaranteed to cure what ails you.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz (60ml) blended Scotch whisky
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz honey ginger syrup
• Islay single malt Scotch whisky topper

Preparation:

• Add ice to a shaker
• Pour in blended Scotch, fresh lemon juice, and honey ginger syrup
• Shake vigorously to combine and chill
• String into an ice-filled rocks glass
• Top with Islay single-malt Scotch whisky