Rusty Nail

The Rusty Nail is a two-ingredient nightcap from the 1960s: Scotch whisky and Drambuie, a honeyed, herb-spiced liqueur made from Scotch itself, over ice. The name reportedly comes from bartenders stirring the drink with whatever was to hand behind the bar, sometimes literally a nail, before it settled into its current, more polished form.

Getting the ratio right

Drambuie is sweet and heavily spiced, so it needs a firm hand from the whisky to stay balanced. A 2.5:1 ratio of Scotch to Drambuie is a reliable starting point; push it closer to even parts and the drink tips into dessert territory, which some people want on a cold night and others do not. Taste as you build it and adjust the Drambuie in small amounts rather than all at once.

A blended Scotch does the job

Because Drambuie is itself made from blended Scotch, honey and spices, the two ingredients share a family resemblance that makes almost any decent blended Scotch work well here. There is little reason to reach for an expensive single malt, since its more delicate notes will simply be absorbed into the Drambuie’s sweetness rather than standing out.

Variations

• Build it in a warmed rocks glass without ice for a genuine nightcap on the coldest evenings.
• A twist of orange peel instead of lemon leans into the drink’s honeyed, spiced character.
• Float a little extra Drambuie on top rather than stirring it in, for a layered version that changes character as you drink through it.