It might not be as well known today as its more famous cousin, the iconic Manhattan cocktail, but there’s a variation on this drink that Scotch lovers adore — the Rob Roy. It’s a simple drink, but as you’ll see from the Rob Roy cocktail recipe, there’s an art form to getting this Scotch cocktail just right.
The Rob Roy cocktail was born in 1894, and was devised in the iconic Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City. The Manhattan came first, concocted a couple of decades earlier. With the name of its home borough already taken, the creators opted to honor the Broadway premiere of an operetta released at the time about the legendary Scottish outlaw and folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor.
How to make a classic Rob Roy cocktail
You can’t touch a classic. Here, a fine Scotch meshes with the fig and herb notes of a classic vermouth. Even better, the drink is further aromatized via bitters and treated to the ultimate garnish in the brandied cherry.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Balvenie Doublewood 12-year Scotch whisky
- 3/4 ounce Carpano Antica Formula vermouth
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- 1 brandied cherry for garnish
Method:
- Stir all ingredients over ice.
- Strain it into a chilled glass.
- Garnish with the brandied cherry.
The secrets to making a great Rob Roy
Like many of its classic counterparts, the Rob Roy is straightforward on the surface. But if you want this evocative drink to really speak to you, it’s imperative to both nail the few ingredients at play and execute the assembly. Like a martini, it’s typically served up dressed with a pair of cherries. There are three slightly different variations — sweet (made with sweet vermouth), dry (made with dry vermouth), and perfect, an even mix of the two.
With the vermouth playing a rather large role, having to stand up to Scotch without another spirit to cut into it, it’s critical to go with a well-made option. Certainly, play around with small-batch vermouths from your favorite producers, but if you’re looking for reliable, seek out something like Carpano Antica or Cocchi di Torino.
Speaking of Scotch, a balanced, blended option is best here. We love a peaty Islay, but the smokiness can fully sabotage a Rob Roy. Remember that we’re playing off of the botanical, wine-like nature of vermouth, not burying it. Try a lighter whisky, like the one in the classic recipe below or a more delicate option, like a lot of what’s coming out of Japan at the moment.
The Rob Roy’s only downfall may be its ties to the half-drunk, day-sipping era of the mid-20th century. And while the cocktail enjoyed a bit more popularity then, it’s evolved a bit since and remains a staple drink. Try a lower-proof Scotch or 1.5 ounces of Scotch instead of the traditional 2 to bring it into the modern era. In today’s cocktail culture, lighter — even if only marginally so — is often better.
Chilling is pretty important with a drink like this, as it tempers the Scotch some. As you make one (or a large format batch) at home, remember to stir with ice as well as pour into a pre-chilled glass, for maximum coolness. A little lemon is recommended, especially when preparing a dry version of the drink. The juice from a single lemon twist, often used as a garnish for the style, is typically enough, but trust your palate and adjust accordingly.
What’s the difference between a Manhattan and a Rob Roy?
If the recipe for a Rob Roy sounds familiar to you, it’s likely because it’s so similar to another beloved classic cocktail, the Manhattan. That drink also uses whiskey, vermouth, and bitters, and you’ll often find a cherry used as a garnish. But while a Manhattan typically uses rye whiskey, the Rob Roy uses Scotch whisky. That makes a significant difference to the final flavor, because these styles of whiskey are so very different.
Rye whiskey tends to be spicy and somewhat sweet, so it gives a lively, easy-sipping character to a Manhattan. But Scotch is smokey and more robust, so it tends to lend a moody, darker flavor to the Rob Roy. The two are similar enough that if you like one, you’ll probably be interested in trying the other, but they show off the different qualities of the different whiskies in an intriguing way.
You can also use this same template to try out a Manhattan variation with whatever type of whiskey you prefer to drink, as this style of drink is highly adaptable. In general, though, you’ll want to stick to whiskies that are on the lighter end of the flavor spectrum, rather than peat or fruit bombs that might be too much in a mixed drink.
Other versions of the Rob Roy cocktail
Above, we have the classic Rob Roy, but there are some twists on the classic. Depending on your tastes, you can mix it up with the following versions.
- Dry Rob Roy: This version swaps the sweet vermouth for dry vermouth, resulting in a drier and less sweet cocktail.
- Perfect Rob Roy: This variation uses equal parts sweet and dry vermouth, creating a more balanced sweetness level compared to the classic Rob Roy.
- Bobby Burns: This twist gets a bit more adventurous, replacing the Angostura bitters with Benedictine, a herbal liqueur that adds a touch of sweetness and complexity.
- Boulevardier: This cocktail essentially combines a Rob Roy and a Negroni. Keep the Scotch, but swap the sweet vermouth for Byrrh (a fortified wine) and use Campari instead of Angostura bitters. This results in a more bitter and herbal drink.
- Manhattan (sort of): Since the Rob Roy is essentially a Manhattan made with Scotch instead of rye or bourbon, you can simply swap the Scotch for those whiskeys for a classic Manhattan experience.
