Drambuie is a forty-degree liquor based on aged Scotch whiskey, heather honey, sugar and aromatic herbs (the composition includes anise, saffron, nutmeg and other additives). The color of the drink depends on the aging of the whiskey and varies from golden to amber brown. Despite the solid strength, the liquor has a mild taste with a fresh aftertaste, saffron and citrus tones are clearly felt in the bouquet, but the exact composition of Drambuie, of course, is kept in strict confidence. It is known for certain that single malt scotch aged 15-17 years is taken as the basis, and after mixing the drink ages nobly in oak barrels for about 20 years.
Historical information
Legend has it that in 1746, after being defeated at the Battle of Culloden, Prince Charles Edward Stewart (Handsome Charlie) fled to the Isle of Skye, where he found shelter with Captain John MacKinnon of the MacKinnon clan. In gratitude for the hospitality and help, the nobleman left a recipe for Drambuie liquor to his savior.
However, the researchers believe that this version does not stand up to criticism, and a beautiful story was invented only in order to “promote” the brand and ensure the brand’s commercial success.
Be that as it may, at the end of the 1880th century, the McKinnon family gave the recipe to John Ross, who in turn left notes to his son James, a businessman and hotelier. During the XNUMXs, James Ross worked to improve the drink’s formulation, replacing brandy with Scotch whiskey, among other things.
James Ross became the godfather of the liquor, calling it Drambuie, loosely translated from Gaelic as “a drink that brings joy.”
At first, the new alcohol was used exclusively in the chamber – Ross treated friends and hotel guests to a previously unknown whiskey-based liquor – but seeing that Drambuie was to the liking of many, in 1893 James registered a new brand and began to supply the product for export.
After the death of the entrepreneur, his wife Eleanor was forced to sell the recipe to pay for the education of her children. By an amazing coincidence, the McKinnon clan became the buyer, who had exclusive rights to the production of liquor until 2014, when William Grant & Sons bought the recipe.
Contemporaneity
In 2007, the company carried out serious work to strengthen the position of the drink on the market. In 2009, the brand launched a liqueur based on the first-class whiskey The Royal Legacy of 1745, at the same time, in honor of the centennial anniversary of the commercial use of Drambuie, a new transparent bottle was developed that allows you to admire the rich color of the drink.
Today, the brand’s product line has been replenished with Drambuie Cream cream liqueur and a “luxury” version of Drambuie Black Ribbon.
How to drink Drambuie
Drambuie is most often served chilled to 10-14°C or room temperature. Liquor is not drunk “just like that” – it is a festive spirit, reserved for special occasions. Thanks to herbs in the composition, Drambuie can be used as a digestif – it is recommended to warm it a little in the palms in order to feel the aroma more fully. If the drink turned out to be too strong, it can be diluted with soda (mineral water).
Like any strong elixir, Drambuie is added to coffee or tea, it also successfully replaces whiskey in cocktails and gives banal recipes a very original sound. There are no special snacks for liquor, but honey liqueur is best combined with desserts or cheeses.
Cocktails with Drambui
Rusty nail: Mix 45 ml of scotch with 25 ml of Drambuie in an old fashion glass, add ice cubes and lemon zest, 1:1 ratios are also suitable. If you exclude ice from the list, you get a Straight Nail cocktail, and if you use Canadian instead of Scotch whiskey, this mixture will already be called Donald Sutherland.
Rusty Apple Toddy: Mix 3 parts warmed apple juice with 1 part Drambuie, add the juice from a quarter of a lemon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Handsome Prince Charlie: 1 part Drambuie and 4 parts champagne or any other sparkling wine. Decorate with a thin strip of lemon peel.
Scotch coffee: Pour ice cubes into a shaker, pour one and a half parts of vodka, a part of Drambuie, a part of freshly brewed and cooled coffee, juice of a quarter of a lemon and a drop of Angostura. Shake everything well and pour into whiskey glasses.
