Rob Roy
Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, stirred and strained - the Manhattan's smokier Scottish cousin.
Ingredients
- 50 ml Scotch whisky (blended, or a soft single malt)
- 20 ml sweet vermouth
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 maraschino cherry, to garnish
- ice, for stirring
Method
- Fill a mixing glass two-thirds full with ice.
- Add the Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters.
- Stir for around 20 seconds, until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
How to serve
- Glassware
- Coupe or Martini glass
- Serve temperature
- Cold
- Garnish
- Maraschino cherry
The Rob Roy is what happens when the Manhattan crosses the Atlantic. It was created at New York’s Waldorf Astoria in 1894, not in Scotland, and named for a stage production of Rob Roy that was playing nearby at the time. Swap the rye or bourbon of a Manhattan for Scotch whisky and the drink changes register entirely: smokier, a little rounder, and less sweet on the finish.
Choosing the Scotch
A blended Scotch is the traditional choice and the safer one, since a big, peaty single malt can dominate the vermouth rather than sit alongside it. If you do want to use a single malt, choose something softer from Speyside rather than a heavily peated Islay malt, which will fight the sweet vermouth instead of complementing it.
Stirred, not shaken
Like a Manhattan, this is a spirit-and-vermouth drink with no juice or egg to aerate, so it should always be stirred rather than shaken. Shaking bruises the whisky and clouds the drink with air bubbles that dilute it too quickly. Twenty seconds of steady stirring with plenty of ice is enough to chill and lightly dilute the mixture without watering it down.
Variations
- A Dry Rob Roy swaps the sweet vermouth for dry, and is finished with a lemon twist instead of a cherry.
- A Perfect Rob Roy splits the vermouth evenly between sweet and dry for a drier, more balanced version.
- For a smokier finish, rinse the glass with a few drops of a peated single malt before straining the drink in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Rob Roy and a Manhattan?
A Manhattan is made with rye or bourbon whiskey. A Rob Roy uses Scotch whisky instead, which gives it a smokier, slightly drier character. The rest of the recipe, sweet vermouth and Angostura bitters, is the same.
Do I need a peated single malt for this?
No. A blended Scotch is traditional and works best, since it blends more smoothly with the vermouth. Save the big, smoky single malts for sipping neat, or use just a rinse of one for accent.
Can I make a Rob Roy less sweet?
Yes. Use dry vermouth instead of sweet for a Dry Rob Roy, or split the vermouth between sweet and dry for a Perfect Rob Roy, which sits between the two.
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