The Scotch Daisy

What are you going to be up to on January twenty-fifth? If you have any type of Scottish ancestry it probably means a night out with poetry, drinks and a date with a sheep. While it makes sense to reach for a bottle of Scotch whisky, mixing it up into a cocktail can have its advantages.

In any group there are always a few people that, no matter the quality, always find straight whisky a challenge. The easy answer there, assuming they are up for some scotch on a night such as this, is to stick to the cocktails. Be it with water, citrus, syrups or any other non-alcoholic beverage all ingredients will dilute a base spirits’ potency. While this may be frowned upon by some it opens a world of opportunities for the social drinker to explore base spirits that they would otherwise loose out on all together.

The scotch daisy is an excellent option for any event where scotch will be at the forefront without the need of a full force drink. This cocktail dates back to the 1860’s and has undergone several evolutions since its inception. Historically the daisy was crafted using orange liqueur as its sweetening agent of choice however gradually transitioned to grenadine in the 1900’s.

The Scotch daisy:

Ingredients:

2 oz. Blended Scotch

0.25 oz. Lemon juice

0.75 oz. Grenadine

0.25 oz. Orange liqueur

top with Club soda

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients other than club soda over ice in a cocktail shaker.
• Strain into a rocks glass.
• Top with club soda.
• Garnish with orange, lemon or cherry.
• Serve.

This sweetened and lengthened take on a classic sour allows for some flexibility in intensity. If you want your drink a little stronger, use less soda. Prefer a lighter cocktail? Use a little more. As is often said about any drink, it’s all about the enjoyment by you, brought from what’s in the glass. For those of you still puzzled by the date January twenty fifth, it is Robert Burns day.

Similar Posts: