In mixology, research and development is non-stop. It’s what has brought us everything from deftly-blended whiskies to creative spirit infusions and expertly-smoked drinks.
Now Scotch, not unlike Merlot or sherry, has always been seen as something for the older crowd. It’s the stuff your grandfather collected, so the cliche goes. And while we don’t fully agree (and absolutely love the stuff and believe the realm is riddled with huge Scotch myths), we also understand it’s not for everybody and might even have a reputation to overcome.
Turns out, whiskey can play the leading spirit role in a lot of classic Scotch cocktails. Perhaps you prefer bourbon. Perhaps you just want to see a Scotch cocktail in new light. Regardless, we’ve got some top-level advice from somebody very much in the know. And now we’re reimagining drinks like the Blood and Sand and thinking there will be even more opportunity for American whiskey to sub in for Scotch given the relatively recent growth of American Single Malt.
Lynn House is the national spirits specialist and portfolio mixologist at Heaven Hill. The family-owned producer oversees labels like Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and Rittenhouse Rye.
“Growing up in a family of Scotch drinkers, the go-to was always a Scotch and soda, or any combination of a classic highball,” she says. “Swapping bourbon into these is a great substitute.”
Different, yet alike
“When Parker Beam created Elijah Craig Bourbon, he took a lot of inspiration from the world of Scotch,” she says. “When I’m mixing, I use a bourbon that has rye as a secondary ingredient because I think that’s an ingredient that reads well as a flavor profile to scotch drinkers.”
Of course, Scotch behaves a bit differently. “Scotch is drier than a corn-based spirit since it’s predominantly barley-based. So, using bourbons that are high-rye or high-wheat makes cocktails drier, making it appealing to scotch drinkers,” she says.
House refers to whiskey as the Riesling of the spirits world in its ability to cover the entire spectrum from light to dark. “A lot of people think of bourbon as a fall spirit, but some of the best summer cocktails are made with bourbon,” she says. “The stone fruit that you get from the corn lends itself to mixing with a lot of seasonal ingredients like berries and stone fruits, as well as spices like vanilla.”
Making the swap cleanly involves paying attention to the details, like the grain bill. “For summer cocktails, I tend to use bourbons that have wheat as a secondary flavor because they’re naturally lighter and softer,” House says. “When it comes to Scotch cocktails, I lean more towards rye-based bourbon, like Elijah Craig Small Batch, since the dry spice is recognizable to a Scotch drinker. Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel is also a great stand in, as that extra bit of barrel aging lends well to traditional Scotch cocktails. ”
The single malt effect
“I’m so excited for this category, I can’t even tell you. I judge spirits competitions, and have been tasting American Single Malts for the past four of five years. Now that it’s a quantifiable category, it’s going to be exciting to watch it grow,” House says.
It’s a category that’s very much a sibling with Scotch, as the latter started the single malt designation. Now that it exists in the states, we’re likely to see more distinctive versions of whiskey much like Scotch reveals the island characteristics of Islay or the vigorous green glens of Speyside.
To be an American Single Malt means to be entirely malted barley, which is a grain with tons of potential. There are so many regional barleys and some producers are even looking into native heirloom options for their whiskies. Clearly, these will lead to great sipping whiskies but they’ll make the base for great drinks too.
“Barley is an interesting grain to work with because it’s so neutral, so the flavors are impacted a lot by the distillers and blenders,” House says. “I think we’re going to see some really exciting things—there are some great ones coming out already!”
Read on for a recipe that seamlessly swaps Scotch for whiskey.
The Bobby Mac
You can’t spell Penicillin without Scotch, can you? Turns out you can, with a good bourbon and a splash of rye for good measure. House actually developed this recipe for National Scotch Day, which occurred on July 27th.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
- 1/4 ounce Elijah Craig Straight Rye
- 3/4 ounce lemon juice
- 3/4 ounce honey-ginger Syrup
Method:
- In a shaker, combine 2oz Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, lemon juice and honey-ginger syrup, shake with ice until well chilled.
- Strain cocktail over ice in a rocks glass and mix in Elijah Craig Straight Rye (or swap in your favorite Scotch to get the best of both worlds!).
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
