rusty nail cocktail history

zarin42762 April 30, 2023 Comment

Dale DeGroff is known for having sparked the modern cocktail renaissance while helming the bar program at the Rainbow Room in the 1980s and ’90s.

For decades, one of the hottest cocktails was the Rusty Nail. But after a good run, the simple combination of scotch and the scotch-based liqueur Drambuie, a word derived from Gaelic meaning “the drink that satisfies, ” has fallen off most bar menus and is rarely ordered by patrons.

Just as mystifying as its disappearance was its appearance in the first place. The lineage of the potent after-dinner libation is contested, with many believing it was invented in 1937 for the British Industries Fair trade show. It does appear in the 1967 edition of “Old Mister Boston Official Bartender’s Guide, ” the cocktail book of record through the post-Prohibition 20th century. (A similar drink, dubbed the Little Club #1, is included in Ted Saucier’s 1951 “Bottoms Up.”)

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Rusty Nail

By the late 1960s, bars in New Orleans and New York were serving the concoction, and “Have you tried a Rusty Nail?” was a common refrain. The Rusty Nail is often credited to the clever bartenders at the 21 Club in Manhattan sometime in the early 1960s. It makes sense, being that the establishment created the famous B & B—half Bénédictine and half cognac—as well. It’s easy to imagine that the talented crew applied the same formula to another cordial and , but I haven’t been able to substantiate that claim.

Lore has it that the Rat Pack was enamored with the drink, which may have been responsible for the wide appeal in those years. In the 1970s, I mixed many a Rusty Nail at the joints I worked at in New York. They were also a hit at P.J. Clarke’s, a favorite late-night haunt of Frank Sinatra.

As with lots of classics, the recipe varies widely. Ted Haigh, the author of “Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails, ” likes two parts scotch to one part Drambuie; “Old Mister Boston” calls for a one-to-one ratio; and many modern versions are far drier, with some suggesting four parts whisky to one part liqueur. You could also substitute bourbon for scotch and get a Rusty Spike. But the Rusty Nail is a classic for a reason, and the two-to-one ratio will always be a fine example of the drink.

Rusty Nail Cocktail

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!A rusty nail is a cocktail made by mixing Scotch whisky with Drambuie in a 1:1 to 2:1 ratio. A rusty nail is most commonly served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass (a.k.a. a rocks glass), although it can also be served "up" in a stemmed glass. Its origin goes back to the 1937 British Industries Fair, but it did not become popular until the 1950s dorsemt by New York's Club 21 and its recognition by popular culture as the go-to cocktail of the Rat Pack a decade later.

According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, "...the Rusty Nail took a while to find its proper place in the world". The combination of Drambuie—"the world's most distinguished Scotch-based liqueur"—and the whisky it is made from first appears in 1937 in the form of the B.I.F., credited to one F. Bniman and ostsibly named after the British Industries Fair.

Wondrich goes on to note that. "it took another geration or so for the drink to assume its classic name and form, during which time it tried on several idtities. Here it's a D&S...there a Little Club No. 1 (the Little Club being a rather swank sort of joint on East Fifty-fifth Street much haunted by showbiz types); at USAF Officers' Clubs in Thailand and the Republic of Viet-Nam, [sic] it's a Mig-21, while in the upper Midwest it's a Knucklehead."

The Mysterious Origin Of The Rusty Nail Cocktail

The cocktail authority Dale DeGroff said "the Rusty Nail is oft credited to the clever bartders at the 21 Club in Manhattan sometime in the early 1960s"

The cocktail's name was finally cemted in 1963, wh Gina MacKinnon, the chairwoman of the Drambuie Liqueur Company, gave the rusty nail her dorsemt in The New York Times.

DeGroff reported that in the early 1960s "...the Rat Pack was amored of the drink, which may have be responsible for the wide appeal in those years..."Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.

Rusty Nail (cocktail)

Tom wears many cocktail hats. He is a professional bartender, bar owner, recipe creator, and drink writer, though he prefers the title "obsessive cocktail nerd."

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2, 000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

The rusty nail is the ultimate scotch cocktail. It's a very simple mixture of just two ingredients—scotch and Drambuie—and served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass. It is designed to be a sophisticated, slow-sipping drink, and it's excellent after dinner.

Drambuie Cocktails: How To Use Drambuie

Like manycocktail stories, the true origin of the rusty nail is lost to history. There are speculations, including that it was introduced in 1937 at the British Industries Fair in a version that also included a dash of bitters. Another account credits its invention to Manhattan's 21 Club (possibly in the '60s), where theB&Bis also said to have originated.

It's also unclear when and why the cocktail took its name. One common tale says that it was originally stirred with a rusty nail, while another attributes it to the drink's color. One thing that is not up for debate is that this was a preferred drink for the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra's gang of five) and they helped its rise to fame.

BlendedScotchwhiskyis typically used in the rusty nail. Choose amid- to high-end Scotch, such as Famous Grouseand save the cheaper bottles for other drinks. Don't worry, you will not be wasting a great scotch by mixing it into a rusty nail.

The Best Rusty Nail Recipe

Just because blended is preferred, however, don't rule out asingle malt scotch; this drink enhances everyregional nuance of Scotchwonderfully. It's a perfect mixed drink for testing new bottles. You can also swap out scotch for another type of whiskey.

Drambuie is a proprietary liqueur recipe of honey and spices with a scotch base, and its taste is unlike any other liqueur on the market. There's no great substitute and, if replaced, your cocktail will no longer be a true rusty nail.

The closest liqueur alternative is Glayva, though it's softer, and Chivas Regal's Lochan Ora, which has been discontinued. Neither of those is as easy to find as Drambuie, which is a smart bottle to have in your bar. Not only can you enjoy a rusty nail any time you please, but Drambuie can also be useful in a variety of other cocktails. Plus, it is fabulous on its own or with ginger ale.

Essential Whisky Cocktail: Rusty Nail

"Scotch doesn't have a lot of classic cocktails to its name; the rusty nail is one of the worthy few. It's somewhat like a Scotch old fashioned with the spices in the Drambuie serving as the bitters. This is the classic ratio for a rusty nail." —Tom Macy

The rusty nail is typically made with two 80-proof liquors, though scotch can be stronger. That means it's not only full of flavor but is also among the strongest cocktails you can mix up. On average, the rusty nail's alcohol content falls around 33 percent ABV (66 proof), or just slightly lower than the whisky's bottling strength.

I don't like this at all. It's not the worst. Sure, this will do. I'm a fan—would recommend. Amazing! I love it! Thanks for your rating!