Rusty Nail
Scotch and Drambuie over ice. Two ingredients, honeyed and warming.
- Time
- 2 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- 3 UK units
How to make a Rusty Nail
- Fill the glass with ice. Fill a rocks glass with cubes. Large, solid cubes melt more slowly.
- Pour the Scotch and Drambuie. Add both over the ice.
- Stir briefly. Stir for about 15 seconds, until the glass feels cold and the Drambuie has blended in with no ribbons of liquid.
- Add the lemon. Squeeze a strip of lemon peel over the drink so the oils spray across it, then drop it in.
- Glass
- Rocks glassNo rocks glass? Any short tumbler.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- Lemon twistOr: Leave it plain.
What you need to make a Rusty Nail
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
Vegetable peelerFor wide strips of peel with little pith.
Bottles we'd use
- DrambuieThere is no substitute for the drink.Find it on Amazon
- A blended ScotchFamous Grouse or Monkey Shoulder work well.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.
Rusty Nail variations and swaps
For a softer drink, try bourbon or Irish whiskey in place of the Scotch. For a drier Rusty Nail, use 60 ml of Scotch and 20 ml of the honey liqueur. To cut the sweetness further, add 5 ml of fresh lemon juice. For a longer drink, pour it over ice in a highball and top with 60 ml of soda water. If you like it served up, stir with ice for about 20 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe. It will taste a little lighter, because stirring adds some water.
The Rusty Nail story
It became popular in the 1960s and is often linked to the 21 Club in New York and to the Rat Pack, though the exact origin is not recorded. Drambuie is a Scotch-based liqueur, and the brand's own legend ties it to Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745, which is the company's story rather than a verified fact.
The balance is the thing. Equal parts is too sweet for most people. Two parts Scotch to one part Drambuie is a safe start. A lemon twist helps cut the honey and heather sweetness.
Rusty Nail: your questions answered
What is in a Rusty Nail?
A Rusty Nail is made with 50 ml Blended Scotch whisky and 25 ml Drambuie. Garnish: lemon twist.
How strong is a Rusty Nail?
Made to this recipe, a Rusty Nail contains about 3 UK units of alcohol per drink. 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 a Rusty Nail in?
Serve a Rusty Nail in a rocks glass over ice. No rocks glass? Any short tumbler.
