Easy
Spirits palpable
3 Minutes
Rocks Glass
Ingredients
The Rusty Nail is a classic cocktail made with just two ingredients – Scotch Whiskey and the incredibly distinct, Scotch-based honey liqueur.
While it’s an easy to make cocktail, its sophistication and refinement is undeniable. The Rusty Nail is one of the perfect drinks for sipping during long evenings of conversation or enjoying on a quiet night at home.
How To Make a RUSTY NAIL COCKTAIL
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Twist Knife
Bar Spoon
How to Mix
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Fill a rocks glass with ice cubes.
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Use a jigger (or measuring tool) to measure and pour Scotch whisky into the glass.
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Measure and add Scotch-based honey liqueur.
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Use a bar spoon to give everything a good stir.
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Garnish with a lemon twist.
Watch how to make a Rusty Nail cocktail
All about the Rusty Nail
The Rusty Nail is a classic stirred cocktail made with Scotch Whisky and Scotch-based honey liqueur.
Spirit-forward and oh-so-sophisticated. The Rusty Nail cocktail blends a smoky, malty taste from the Scotch whisky with the sweet, herbal notes of a Scotch-based honey liqueur.
It’s smooth and perfectly balances sweetness with the spicy, peated undertones of the Scotch. Don’t underestimate what the lemon twist garnish adds to the overall experience.
The Rusty Nail is believed to have been invented in 1937 at the British Industries Fair. However, it was popularized at a bar in Manhattan, New York during the early 1960s.
A prominent historian traced the blend of Scotch whisky with a specific Scotch-based honey liqueur back to the late 1930s. However, it’s very possible that this combination was mixed much earlier, given the honey liqueur’s origins trace back to Edinburgh in 1908.
Achieving the “perfect dilution”
Like many other stirred, spirit-forward cocktails, the Rusty Nail may be easy to make…but it can be challenging to master. Why? It’s all about achieving the right dilution.
The “perfect dilution” involves stirring your drink until it reaches the perfect balance, tailored to your taste preferences or the preferences of the person who is drinking it.
Rusty Compass
This delicious variation of a Rusty Nail adds cherry liqueur to the mix to create an entire new flavor profile. Simply add 15 ml (0.75 part) of cherry liqueur and you’ve got a Rusty Compass. – sweet, smoky and herbal. For this drink, garnish with an orange zest.
- As with many other classic spirit-forward cocktails, the Rusty Nail should be served in a rocks glass filled with ice cubes.
- To garnish the drink, a lemon twist is a classic choice that works extremely well with the honey notes from the Scotch-based honey liqueur.
- Another popular garnish is orange zest. The orange harmonizes perfectly with the whiskey. Hey, try lemon or orange and see which you prefer.
Rusty Nail FAQ
Legend goes that the drink was once stirred using an actual rusty nail. But we seriously doubt it! It’s more likely that it got its name from the drink color.
Scotch whisky and Scotch-based honey liqueur.
