Drambuie liqueur: history, description, how and with what they drink + 9 cocktail recipes

The name of the Scottish forty-degree honey whiskey liquor Drambuie (Drambuie) can be translated from Gaelic as “a sip of contentment.”

A beautiful legend, invented by the producers of this elite drink, connects its origin with the Scottish, and then the general British royal dynasty of the Stuarts. However, the true history of the liquor is no less interesting, and perhaps even more ancient…

Drambuy’s story

Starting from the XNUMXth or even the XNUMXth century, the stern highlanders began to refine their barley moonshine by insisting it on fragrant local herbs and adding honey to it. Wealthier nobles had the opportunity to add various overseas spices to this list.

Among these noble families were representatives of the MacKinnon clan from the Isle of Skye. At the same time, the ambitious islanders decided to insist on herbs, honey and spices not only local whiskey, but also very expensive imported cognac.

As a result, a unique family drink of the MacKinnon family appeared, very well known to a very narrow circle of people.

In 1873, impoverished nobles were forced to sell the family recipe to a local innkeeper, John Ross. The son and heir of the latter, James, began to offer a drink to his guests, having previously replaced imported cognac with his native aged whiskey.

Convinced of the viability of the modernized, or rather archaic liquor, James began to slowly fuse it to France and the USA.

As a result, by 1893 he managed to raise the necessary amount for the official registration of exclusive rights to the production of the drink, which by that time had received its current name.

After the death of an entrepreneur whose business was probably not going well, his widow, Eleanor, was forced to sell a license to produce and sell liquor in order to pay for the education of her children.

The buyer was Malcolm McKinnon, a representative of another branch of the same clan. Thanks to the efforts of the new owner, Drambuie gained wide popularity among British officers for ten years, penetrated the House of Lords and even ended up on the table of the inhabitants of Buckingham Palace.

For more than a hundred years, the popular brand was in the hands of the McKinnons. However, in 2014, the family business was taken over by the well-known Scottish trading and industrial house: William Grant & Sons, which cost the creators of the legendary Glenfiddich approximately $ 100 million.

Overview of Drambuie

The basis for the liquor is Scotch single malt whiskey, aged in oak barrels from 15 to 17 years.

The secret composition of the liquor undoubtedly includes local heather honey and herbs (in particular, possibly clover), water, saffron, nutmeg and cloves.

Once all the proper ingredients have been introduced, the liquor is returned to the barrels for infusion.

Then the drink is filtered and bottled, allowing you to freely admire its deep golden-amber color.

In the taste of the drink, cinnamon notes, anise are guessed and the presence of citrus fruits is observed.

How and with what they drink Drambuie

Most often, the drink is consumed in its pure form in the company of dessert dishes.

Served in rocks, filled to a third, chilled to a temperature of 10-14°C. In such cases, the drink is usually accompanied by soft cheeses, creamy ice cream or dark chocolate.

The herbal component of the liqueur allows it to be used as a digestif.

At the same time, a cool drink should first be slightly warmed in the palms, for a more complete disclosure of the flavor and aromatic bouquet.

At the same time, if necessary, it is allowed to lower the strength of the liquor by adding drinking non-carbonated (preferably spring) water to it.

Many drink lovers add it directly to tea or coffee.

Cocktail Rusty Nail

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 30-50 мл

  2. Scotch – 50 ml

  3. Lemon – 1 circle

Method of preparation

  1. Mix drinks in a tumbler with ice.

  2. Decorate with lemon.

PS When replacing scotch with Canadian whiskey, you get a Donald Sutherland cocktail.

Cocktail Handsome Charlie

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 50 мл

  2. Sparkling wine – 200 ml

  3. Lemon zest – 1 strip

Method of preparation

  1. Gently mix liqueur and champagne in a highball glass.

  2. Decorate with zest.

Cocktail Scottish Dreams

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 25 мл

  2. Scotch – 25 ml

  3. Orange juice – 50 ml

  4. Orange – 1 slice

Method of preparation

  1. Shake alcohol and juice in a shaker with ice.

  2. Pour through a strainer into a glass.

  3. Decorate with orange.

Coffee more Scottish

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 40 мл

  2. Vodka – 60 ml

  3. Black coffee – 40 ml

  4. Angostura – 1 drop

  5. Lemon – 1/8-1/4 pieces

Method of preparation

  1. Cool coffee to room temperature.

  2. Squeeze juice from lemon.

  3. Shake all liquids in a shaker.

  4. Serve in rox.

Apricot Drum Cocktail

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 40 мл

  2. Apricot juice – 80 ml

  3. Lemon juice – 10 ml

  4. Lemon – 1 circle

Method of preparation

  1. Mix all liquids in a highball with ice.

  2. Decorate with lemon.

Cocktail Big John

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 10 мл

  2. Scotch – 30 ml

  3. Marakuy juice – 30 ml

  4. Lemon juice – 1 dash

  5. Cocktail cherry – 1 piece

Method of preparation

  1. Shake all liquids in a shaker with ice.

  2. Pour through a strainer into a glass.

  3. Decorate with cherries.

Cocktail Cloud Island

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 20 мл

  2. Dry London Gin – 20 ml

  3. Lemon juice – 20 ml

Method of preparation

  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice.

  2. Mix well.

  3. Pour through a strainer into a glass.

Cocktail Rusty Apple Toddy

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 50 мл

  2. Apple juice – 150 ml

  3. Lemon – ¼ pieces

  4. Cinnamon – 1 stick

Method of preparation

  1. Squeeze out the lemon.

  2. Warm up apple juice.

  3. Mix juice, liqueur and lemon juice in a rocks glass.

  4. Add cinnamon.

Cocktail Flute

List of ingredients

  1. Drambuie – 25 мл

  2. Scotch – 30 ml

  3. Limoncello – 25 ml

  4. Orange – 1 circle

Method of preparation

  1. Mix drinks in a rocks glass with crushed ice.

  2. Decorate with orange.

Relevance: 22.10.2019

Tags: Liqueurs, Pourings, Liqueurs, Brands of liqueurs

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