Rob Roy Cocktail Recipe

The Rob Roy is a Scotch whisky-based Manhattan combining candy vermouth and Angostura bitters. The pre-Prohibition cocktail is assumed to have been created a couple of a long time after the Manhattan began to emerge within the 1870s. 

It’s believed that the Rob Roy cocktail first got here collectively in 1894 on the Waldorf Astoria Resort in New York Metropolis. The cocktail was impressed by an operetta based mostly on the Scottish folks hero Rob Roy MacGregor, which was carried out close to the lodge’s unique location on Fifth Avenue. Although variations of the cocktail could have existed previous to this date, the cocktail’s moniker was made official at the moment. 

What makes the Rob Roy work?

The unique Rob Roy recipe was possible equal components scotch and candy vermouth, because it was detailed within the 1935 version of The Outdated Waldorf Astoria Bar E book. Early iterations of the Manhattan have been constructed equally, nonetheless the two:1 ratio has remained customary for each cocktails. 

The bottom of Scotch whisky transforms the drink from a mere Manhattan riff into its personal savory, spirit-forward cocktail. Relying on the kind of scotch used, the malted barley flavors that emerge can reveal complicated fruit and tart berry profiles or wealthy and toasty cereal notes. 

Fragrant candy vermouth performs particularly nicely with a whisky comprised of barley. Baking spices and vanilla mingle with darkish fruits and cocoa. The selection of vermouth may even decide among the natural and spice flavors that develop.

Angostura bitters lend additional complexity and a layer of citrus, whereas the maraschino cherry provides sweetness and stability to among the drink’s savory qualities.