Rusty Nail

Cocktail recipe

#1 / 20 in Drambuie Cocktails
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#4 / 31 in Scotch Whisky Cocktails

2 Ingredients

¾ oz Drambuie ¾ oz Drambuie 2.25 cl Drambuie 22.5 ml Drambuie ¾ oz Drambuie 0.75 oz Drambuie
2 oz Scotch Whisky 2 oz Scotch Whisky 6 cl Scotch Whisky 60 ml Scotch Whisky 2 oz Scotch Whisky 2 oz Scotch Whisky

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- Step back in time and make . ">How To: Make The Classic Rusty Nail https://www.youtube.com/embed/DMuT4fBIls0

A classic drink that should not be forgotten. Ingredients: .75 oz Drambuie 1.5 oz Scotch Lemon Twist Stir ingredients on ice, strain, garnish, and enjoy!">Rusty Nail | Whiskey With Wes https://www.youtube.com/embed/vGKNuTzMhcw

A Rusty Nail is made by mixing Drambuie and Scotch whisky. The drink was included in Difford's Guide Top 100 Cocktails.[1] Some prefer less Drambuie to . ">How To Make The Rusty Nail - Best Drink Recipes

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2 oz Scotch Whisky Scotch Whisky ( )

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How to Make a Rusty Nail

There's really no way to mess this one up.

The Rusty Nail took a while to find its proper place in the world. The combination of Drambuie—the most distinguished of Scotch-based liqueurs—and the whisky it's made from is a natural one, and yet diligent research has failed to turn up any mention of it during the first 28 years of Drambuie's existence as a commercial product. The Rusty Nail took its first public baby steps in 1937, but it wasn't for another generation or so (and many long-gone variations) that the drink assumed its classic name and form as slow-sipper, a build-it-yourself project: half and half, rocks, all dumped into a bucket glass.

Once the Rusty Nail found its identity, it found its home. With its combo of swank ingredients (Drambuie ain't cheap), homey comfort (the liqueur and ice blunt any edge the liquor might have), and foolproof construction (there's really no way to fuck this one up—if it's too sweet, just add more Scotch), the Rusty Nail is to the classic suburban rec room as coffee is to the church basement.

The quantities for this Rusty Nail recipe are a rough ratio. Half and half is too sweet for us, but some folks swear by it. We suggest you start with 2 ounces Scotch and 1/2 ounce Drambuie and work your way up from there. There are those who insist on layering the ingredients. Nah.
1. Combine the Scotch and Drambuie in a double Old-Fashioned glass.
2. Add lots of ice.
3. Stir.
* Blended Scotch is traditional, but use a good one. Johnny Walker Black, Dewar's 12 Year, something like that.

Rusty Nail Recipe

[Photo: Jennifer Hess]

Perhaps this 50-50 combination of Scotch and Drambuie reminds you of your grandfather's poker nights. Or perhaps your grandmother drank them between Camels. Nevertheless, you probably think of the Rusty Nail as an old person's drink, a quaff too musty even for Mad Men.

It doesn't have to be this way. Drinks with these two ingredients date to the 1930s under a variety of names as David Wondrich recounted for Esquire: the B.I.F., the D & S, the Little Club No. 1. No one knows where or when "Rusty Nail" originated, but by the 1960s, the name had stuck.

Though the modern version calls for equal parts, earlier versions were drier, calling for substantially more Scotch. This is where you'll start. David Wondrich suggests 2 ounces Scotch to 1/2 ounce Drambuie, a 4:1 ratio. That's what I like, too. Want to add a dash of Angostura in there? Trust me, it won't hurt a thing.
- Yield: makes 1 cocktail
- Active time: 2 minutes
- Total time: 2 minutes
- Rated:
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blended Scotch, such as Famous Grouse
- 1/2 ounce Drambuie
- 1 dash of Angostura bitters (optional)
Directions

Fill a rocks glass with ice. Add Scotch, Drambuie, and bitters (if using). Stir thoroughly and serve.

Michael Dietsch is a barfly, booze hound, book hoarder, jazz fiend, and technographer. He lives with his wife, kids, and cats in the D.C. suburbs. When he's not out on the town, he's usually at home doing laundry and writing.

He'll save your life if you ask nicely enough.

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Rusty Nail Recipe Perfect for Your Favorite Scotch
- 3 mins
- Prep: 3 mins,
- Cook: 0 mins
- Yield: 1 cocktail (1 serving)
The Rusty Nail is the ultimate in scotch cocktails and if you are interested in that style of whiskey, this is a drink you should be familiar with. The best part is that you can choose whichever Scotch whiskey you like and make it as top-shelf as you wish. Don't worry, you will not be wasting a great scotch by mixing it into a Rusty Nail.

The cocktail is very simple and it is the ideal drink of choice for any Scotch lover. In it, you will simply mix scotch and Drambuie over ice. It is designed to be a sophisticated, slow-sipping drink and in that regard, it is one of the best you will find.

What You'll Need
- 1 1/2 ounces Scotch whiskey
- 3/4 ounce Drambuie
How to Make It
1. Pour the ingredients into an old-fashioned glass with ice cubes.
2. Stir well.
More Tips for Making a Great Rusty Nail

The Scotch. A blended Scotch whiskey is typically used in the Rusty Nail. You just want to be sure that it is a good one because the Rusty Nail deserves a great scotch. Choose one of the mid- to high-end bottles like Johnnie Walker Black Label or Chivas Regal 12 YO and save the $20 whiskeys for other drinks.

Just because blended is preferred, don't rule out a single malt scotch. The Glenlivet 12 and 15 YO expressions are fantastic and there are many other great options available. Every regional nuance we talk about in single malt scotch will come out in the Rusty Nail and it's a perfect mixed drink for exploring new bottles. Of course, these can be quite costly and may be one of those rare indulgences, though your Rusty Nail will be worth every sip.

Cost is going to be a big factor when ordering a Rusty Nail at the local cocktail lounge as well. It is important to keep in mind that if you 'call' a premium whiskey for this drink, you will be charged a premium price that is probably not listed on the menu. Many drinkers have been surprised by their tab because of this and if your budget is a concern, go with the well scotch.

The Drambuie. There really is no good substitute for Drambuie. It is a liqueur from a proprietary recipe of honey and spices with a scotch base and its taste is unlike any other liqueur on the market. As much as you can play with the scotch of the Rusty Nail, it will no longer be a true Rusty Nail without Drambuie.

That said, having Drambuie in your bar is not a bad thing. Not only can you enjoy a Rusty Nail any time you please, but it can also be useful in a variety of other cocktails. Plus, it's fabulous on its own or with ginger ale and at 80-proof, you will not even miss the whiskey.

Adjusting the Rusty Nail

As with many simple classic cocktails, the proportions of the two ingredients will depend on your personal taste.

The 2:1 ratio given in the recipe is a good starting point, though many Rusty Nail fans enjoy 3:1 (2 ounces scotch and 1/2 ounce Drambuie). Also, as you explore more scotches, you will find that adjustments should be made for each.
- Some drinkers prefer a lemon twist garnish, though the Rusty Nail is often ungarnished.
- You may also consider serving it over a slow-melting ice ball to reduce dilution and retain the drink's full flavor.
How Strong is the Rusty Nail?

The Rusty Nail is typically made with two 80-proof liquors though your scotch may be stronger than that, depending on which bottle you choose. This means that this is not in any way a light drink, in fact, it's probably one of the strongest cocktails you can make. That's great because it means that it is full of flavor (not just alcohol).

If we run the numbers to estimate the Rusty Nail's alcohol content, it comes in at around 33% ABV (66 proof), which is slightly lower than bottling strength. This estimate uses the recipe as written above and if you choose to pour a stronger scotch in a 3:1 mix, it will go up from there.

Rusty Nail

Combining Scotch whisky and Drambuie, the Rusty Nail is high up on the list of cocktails made with Scotch, and makes for a wonderfully indulgent blend of heather flavours, spices and sweet caramel.

Ingredients

How to make

Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.

Using a jigger, measure 50ml Bell's Original Blended Scotch Whisky and 25ml Drambuie into the glass.

With a strainer, strain into a short glass.

With a chopping board and sharp knife, slice a piece of lemon peel and place in glass to garnish.

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Drambuie Liqueur Profile and Cocktails

The Essential Scotch Liqueur for the Rusty Nail and Beyond

Drambuie is a sweet, gold colored liqueur with a Scotch whiskey base that is accented with the flavors of Scottish heather honey, herbs, and spices. The whiskey is a blend of malts from the Speyside and Highland regions of Scotland. It has a superbly smooth taste, notably marked with spiced honey.

This liqueur should be considered essential to a bar stock, especially if one enjoys whiskey cocktails.

It is stocked with liquor stores and bars worldwide, making it readily available. The most popular Drambuie drink is by far the Rusty Nail in which it is paired with Scotch whiskey.

There are also no true substitutes for Drambuie's signature taste, though the closest option is Glayva. Drambuie can also be served on the rocks or with either ginger ale or ginger beer and makes a wonderful dessert drink.

The History of Drambuie

The story of Drambuie dates back to around 1745 when Prince Charles Edward Stewart reportedly passed on the 'secret' formula for his personal elixir when fleeing Scotland after the Battle of Culloden. The legend says that the recipient of the recipe was Stewart's trusted Captain John MacKinnon and that it remained on the Isle of Skye.

In the late 19th century, Clan MacKinnon passed the recipe on to James Ross who improved it and sold the revised liqueur at the Broadford Hotel on Skye, which continues to claim it is the 'birthplace of Drambuie.' Upon Ross' death, his widow sold the recipe to another MacKinnon family and the first commercial production of Drambuie began in Edinburgh in 1910.

The name Drambuie is derived (most likely) from the Scottish Gaelic an dram buidheach, which means "the drink that satisfies."

Drambuie Cocktail Recipes

Cooking with Drambuie

More About Drambuie Liqueur
- Scotch whisky-based liqueur flavored with honey and spices.
- Produced in Broxburn, West Lothian, Scotland
- 40% ABV (80 proof)
- Visit Their Website
More Drambuie Bottlings

Beyond the original bottling of Drambuie, two other expressions are also available. Both are preferred to be served neat or over ice.
- Drambuie 15: This expression uses a selection of 15-year-old Speyside malts. This is a drier liqueur with a velvet mouthfeel and warming, soft malt notes.
- Drambuie Royal Legacy 1745: This bottling was produced to celebrate the 1910 official launch of Drambuie and only 2,500 bottles were produced at the time. It brings together all of the best ingredients and techniques learned throughout the years and is considered the top of the line of Drambuie. It also has a price to reflect this pedigree.
Rusty Nail

Here is drink that produces an image of a hard-nosed cocktail that will put hair on your chest. Even the word "cocktail" doesn’t seem to go with the Rusty Nail. The drink hearkens back to the day when men were men and dogs slept in the garage. After a hard day of work, the man of the house needed a hard drink, not one of those pink fruity drinks in a prissy martini glass. Jump forward 50 years and you have guys who sip Cosmopolitans and make goofy faces when they drink a shot of tequila, even though they have some salt and lime (lemon) to cover up the flavour. Hell, even flavourless vodka makes people squirm. Now a Rusty Nail, that’s a real drink.

As usual, I was determined to write an article about something, but with the typical “writers block” I decided to open up Difford’s Guide and write about a cocktail. I wanted something non-fruity and strong. I wanted something that would warm me up and make me think about what I was drinking. I thought an Old Fashioned might fit the bill because a guest once asked for a drink that would be “sailor humping strong”. The Old Fashioned seemed to work for him. Then I thought a Sazerac would be even better, or maybe a Manhattan, but those didn’t appear to be hitting the mark because they are in my regular drink rotation.

As I flipped through the pages of Difford’s Guide to Cocktails, I hit the Rusty Nail and that was what I was going to drink. It’s a good strong drink, with lots of flavours and a subtle sweetness. Plus it’s exceptionally simple to make. The only items required were a bottle of scotch, some scotch liqueur like Drambuie or Lochan Ora and some good ice. Some people add a cherry to their Rusty Nail, but I forgo that. A lemon twist works if you have a lemon hanging around.

Rusty Nail

Build on ice in a rocks or old fashion glass.

When you take the first sip of your Rusty Nail, your palate will be hit with lots of scotch flavours, like smokey peat and malt which is quickly followed by the sweetness of the scotch liqueur. In this case, I used Lochan Ora, which I find to be better than Drambuie, but it is becoming harder to find. The finish is slightly sweet and then fades to a smokey residue.

For scotch, I used Macallan 10-year-old single malt, which is modestly priced. I can already hear a few people grumbling about using a precious single malt and violating it with honeyed scotch liqueur. Well, better ingredients make for a better drink and even though a blended scotch would work fine, I find the Macallan to be a less robust scotch than say an Islay malt which would be an edgy drink. A Macallan based Rusty Nail isn’t as edgy as it gets with this drink; you always need to leave a little room at the top.

The Rusty Nail is one of those odd drinks that new drinkers think they’ll like, but don’t. The idea of sweetened scotch may be appealing, but unlike other drinks where the sugar takes the edge off of the alcohol, the sweetness in a Rusty Nail gives the drink a sharper edge.

Rusty Nail Cocktail for Girls

Enjoy this sweeter version of the classic Rusty Nail cocktail.

My husband and I have long joked about the Rusty Nail Cocktail. When we have the opportunity to order a cocktail and I say I don’t know what to get, he dares me to get a Rusty Nail. I always thought of this as a drink for tough old men with leathery skin who start sentences with, “Back in my day…” All I knew of this classic cocktail is that it was Scotch based, which is not typically my favorite spirit (because I’m too much of a wimp for it).

On my recent trip to the mega liquor store, I happened upon a bottle of Drambuie and remembered that it is a key ingredient in the Rusty Nail. On a whim, I decided to buy it and finally find out what this drink is all about. The classic recipe is around three parts scotch to one part Drambuie, but I thought that would be too strong for me. I decided to change the proportions to make a sweeter cocktail. Friends, on first sip of this drink, I was in love. Seriously, this is now one of my very favorite cocktails. It’s pretty to look at and easy to make too, so it’s just about perfect. I strongly recommend this one!

Want more cocktails? Me too! Let’s toast with these:

Drambuie and Soda

Cinnamon Cherry 7UP with Bourbon

About Andi Gleeson

Andi Gleeson is the author of The Weary Chef, a friendly recipe blog focusing on quick and easy dinner recipes. She is a mom of two wild little boys in Austin, TX. Her obsessions are Target shopping, glitter nail polish, and Mexican food.
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View All Posts
first published: June 14, 2013

Share your thoughts!

6 Comments on "Rusty Nail Cocktail for Girls"

A rusty nail is one of my hubby’s favorite drinks (and he kind of falls into your “tough old man” category). Often times when we order these in a restaurant the servers and/or bartenders aren’t familiar with it. But it really is a great classic cocktail and Drambuie is a wonderful sweet liqueur. It was fun to see somebody else who actually knows about rusty nails too! Thanks for sharing!

I’m surprised that the bartenders don’t know about this one because I thought it was a classic. Maybe it’s TOO classic and people are starting to forget about it. Your husband and I can try to keep it alive 😉 Thanks so much for your comment, Bev. It’s great to meet you!

I have never had a Rusty Nail before, in fact I also don’t have a cake for that drink! I better start doing research 🙂

Ooh I bet Drambuie could especially be good in a cake! You should look into it 🙂 Thanks for coming over!

You created a whole new drink, but it sounds good and looks pretty! I love the lemon slice too. The kids are wearing me out but good 😉

About Andi Gleeson

Andi Gleeson is the author of The Weary Chef, a friendly recipe blog focusing on quick and easy dinner recipes. She is a mom of two wild little boys in Austin, TX. Her obsessions are Target shopping, glitter nail polish, and Mexican food.
- Easy Chicken and Dressing Casserole - November 16, 2017
- Pork Loin Tips with Gravy - October 27, 2017
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup - October 23, 2017
- Baked Chicken Macaroni - October 16, 2017
- Easy Pork Pot Pie - September 29, 2017
View All Posts
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Rusty Nail

Here is drink that produces an image of a hard-nosed cocktail that will put hair on your chest. Even the word "cocktail" doesn’t seem to go with the Rusty Nail. The drink hearkens back to the day when men were men and dogs slept in the garage. After a hard day of work, the man of the house needed a hard drink, not one of those pink fruity drinks in a prissy martini glass. Jump forward 50 years and you have guys who sip Cosmopolitans and make goofy faces when they drink a shot of tequila, even though they have some salt and lime (lemon) to cover up the flavour. Hell, even flavourless vodka makes people squirm. Now a Rusty Nail, that’s a real drink.

As usual, I was determined to write an article about something, but with the typical “writers block” I decided to open up Difford’s Guide and write about a cocktail. I wanted something non-fruity and strong. I wanted something that would warm me up and make me think about what I was drinking. I thought an Old Fashioned might fit the bill because a guest once asked for a drink that would be “sailor humping strong”. The Old Fashioned seemed to work for him. Then I thought a Sazerac would be even better, or maybe a Manhattan, but those didn’t appear to be hitting the mark because they are in my regular drink rotation.

As I flipped through the pages of Difford’s Guide to Cocktails, I hit the Rusty Nail and that was what I was going to drink. It’s a good strong drink, with lots of flavours and a subtle sweetness. Plus it’s exceptionally simple to make. The only items required were a bottle of scotch, some scotch liqueur like Drambuie or Lochan Ora and some good ice. Some people add a cherry to their Rusty Nail, but I forgo that. A lemon twist works if you have a lemon hanging around.

Rusty Nail

Build on ice in a rocks or old fashion glass.

When you take the first sip of your Rusty Nail, your palate will be hit with lots of scotch flavours, like smokey peat and malt which is quickly followed by the sweetness of the scotch liqueur. In this case, I used Lochan Ora, which I find to be better than Drambuie, but it is becoming harder to find. The finish is slightly sweet and then fades to a smokey residue.

For scotch, I used Macallan 10-year-old single malt, which is modestly priced. I can already hear a few people grumbling about using a precious single malt and violating it with honeyed scotch liqueur. Well, better ingredients make for a better drink and even though a blended scotch would work fine, I find the Macallan to be a less robust scotch than say an Islay malt which would be an edgy drink. A Macallan based Rusty Nail isn’t as edgy as it gets with this drink; you always need to leave a little room at the top.

The Rusty Nail is one of those odd drinks that new drinkers think they’ll like, but don’t. The idea of sweetened scotch may be appealing, but unlike other drinks where the sugar takes the edge off of the alcohol, the sweetness in a Rusty Nail gives the drink a sharper edge.