Over the Christmas and New Year period we welcome six guest posts from cocktail columnist, London bar reviewer & blogger The Barfly. His festive series began with Mulled Wine, moved on to classic Eggnog, The Champagne Cocktail and the French '75 and earlier today The Corpse Reviver. He rounds-off the series with a Rob Roy…
The Rob Roy
The Rob Roy is a prime apéritif. If this doesn’t soften your teeth for a big dish of offal and carbs – haggis, neeps and tatties, that finest of Scots winter suppers – then nothing will. This means it's also ideal for that traditional Scots New Year's Day supper of steak pie.
The drink – named for the Scottish Robin Hood – combines the Scots’ two favorite things: a big belt of a dram and a blast of sugar. All-in-all it’s not dissimilar to a Manhattan.
You will need:
A double whisky
A single shot of sweet (red) Vermouth
A dash of Angostura bitters
Method:
Stir the three ingredients with ice
Strain into a cocktail glass
Garnish:
Some go for a maraschino cherry – and it plays nicely with the sweet vermouth. But for my blood it’s something too effete for such a strident cocktail.
My personal preference is for a twist of orange.
Either way this is the closest that most Scots will get to a salad this side of Hogmanay.
For the Scotch I’d recommend something sherry casked – the fruit in the wood chimes perfectly with the sweet Vermouth. Go for a Glenmorangie or something similar is my advice.
Happy New Year! A London Walk costs £10 – £8 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.
