Atholl Brose
Scotch, honey, oatmeal and cream. A traditional Scottish drink for Burns Night and Hogmanay. Make it ahead.
- Time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- 1.6 UK units
How to make Atholl Brose
- Soak the oatmeal. Put the oatmeal in a bowl with the cold water, stir, cover and leave in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- Strain. Pour through a fine strainer into a jug, pressing the oats with a spoon to squeeze out all the milky liquid. Keep the liquid and discard the oats, or use them in porridge.
- Mix with honey and whisky. Stir the honey into the oat liquid until it dissolves, then stir in the Scotch. Taste, and add a little more honey if you want it sweeter.
- Add the cream and chill. Lightly whisk in the cream until it is just combined and slightly thickened, not stiff. Chill for 30 minutes, stir again and pour into small glasses. Add a pinch of dry oatmeal to each.
- Glass
- Rocks glassNo rocks glass? Small wine glasses or whisky tumblers.
- Ice
- No ice
- Garnish
- A pinch of dry oatmeal on topOr: Leave it plain.
What you need to make Atholl Brose
Kit
Fine strainerA small tea strainer catches ice shards.
Whisk or shakerTo loosen cream until it just pours.
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Bottles we'd use
- A blended ScotchMonkey Shoulder, Famous Grouse or Dewar's White Label: smooth, with a little sweetness.Find it on Amazon
- Medium oatmealPinhead or medium oatmeal from the baking aisle, not instant porridge oats.Find it on Amazon
- Runny honeyA mild flower honey, or Scottish heather honey for a stronger taste.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Atholl Brose variations and swaps
Some versions leave out the cream and are thinner and more whisky-forward. For a thicker, richer drink, whip half the cream lightly and fold it in at the end. Use a heather honey for a stronger, floral taste, or add a pinch of cinnamon. A few raspberries in each glass nod to cranachan, a Scottish dessert made with oats, honey, cream and whisky. A single malt gives more character than blended Scotch, but blended is perfectly good and costs less.
The Atholl Brose story
Atholl Brose is an old Scottish drink, named for Atholl in Perthshire. "Brose" is a Scots word for a dish made with oatmeal. A well-known story says an Earl of Atholl used it to capture a rival by spiking the well he drank from, but that is a legend rather than a record.
It is made by soaking oatmeal in water, straining it, then stirring the cloudy liquid with honey, Scotch and cream. The result is rich, a little nutty and warming, closer to a dessert drink than a cocktail. Serve it in small glasses, as each one holds a good measure of whisky. It suits Burns Night and Hogmanay, when you want something traditional to pass round.
Atholl Brose: your questions answered
What is in Atholl Brose?
Atholl Brose is made with 40 g medium oatmeal, 60 ml runny honey, 160 ml Blended Scotch whisky and 150 ml double cream, which makes 4 glasses. Garnish: a pinch of dry oatmeal on top.
Is Atholl Brose shaken or stirred?
Atholl Brose is stirred, not shaken. Stirring with ice chills and dilutes it while keeping the drink clear and smooth. Shaking would cloud it and add tiny air bubbles, which suits citrus drinks but not this one.
How strong is Atholl Brose?
Made to this recipe, Atholl Brose contains about 1.6 UK units of alcohol per glass. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve Atholl Brose in?
Serve Atholl Brose in a rocks glass. No rocks glass? Small wine glasses or whisky tumblers.
