The Addition That Turns Your Scotch Into A Rusty Nail Cocktail

Once ubiquitous and now nearly obsolete, the Rusty Nail used to run through the New York City streets like yellow cabs driving around bar hoppers. The cocktail has mysterious origins, but it is known to have been popularized in the 1960s by the Rat Pack. Its widespread consumption as a post-dinner nightcap lasted for decades, but it eventually fell off the map and cocktail menus.

A Rusty Nail is a combination of scotch — a Scottish whisky — and Drambuie, a scotch-based liqueur from Scotland. (It makes sense that Scotland produces the majority of the world's whisky). Drambuie, coming from a Gaelic word that means "the drink that satisfies," is an aged scotch fortified with heather honey and flavored with herbs and spices. It retains the malty, oaky flavors of scotch with an added herbal sweetness. Though the original recipe can be dated back to the 18th century, the current Drambuie producer claims only three people at present know the exact way to make the liqueur.

The traditional recipe for a Rusty Nail calls for two parts of scotch to one part of Drambuie, though certain recipes suggest a one-to-one ratio. Some modern iterations go as far as four parts of scotch to one part of Drambuie, opting for a drier, more bitter mix.

Regardless of the amounts, stir (don't shake) the scotch and Drambuie with ice in a mixing glass. Mix until the glass feels cold in your palm or until its outside surface forms condensation. Strain the liquid into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon peel — don't skimp on the garnish, as it provides much more to the tasting experience than a finished-off look.

There are a few offshoots of the Rusty Nail like the Rusty Spike, which substitutes scotch for bourbon. Drambuie's website suggests modern takes on the classic cocktail, such as the Drambuie Iced Espresso. This drink combines 50ml of espresso (or cold brew coffee) with 50ml of Drambuie.