Bar november 2016 lr

Whisky

Hero serve Mark Ludmon finds out about scotch whisky classics and twisting bourbon cocktails

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fter taking part in Jacobite uprisings in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, Rob Roy MacGregor went on to become a Scottish folk hero.

After fighting on behalf of the deposed James II and his son, he was made an outlaw after losing all his money and property, gaining the reputation of being something of a Robin Hood. He was turned into myth including a 19th-century novel by Sir Walter Scott and, more recently, has been played on film by the likes of Liam Neeson.

It was through a little-known operetta about his life that his name came to be remembered as one of the most popular classic cocktails made with scotch whisky.

In 1894, a bartender – whose name is lost to posterity – at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City was inspired by the premiere of Rob Roy by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B Smith at Herald Square.

The classic recipe is similar to a Manhattan but, instead of using American whiskey, it is made with scotch. Like the Manhattan, it can be sweet, dry or perfect depending on the vermouth and the quantity used and is normally garnished with a cherry.

It is well suited for mixing with Wolfburn Northland, a 46% ABV single malt which was released in March by Wolfburn Distillery through Amathus Drinks. Both this and the newly released Wolfburn Aurora are being used by bartenders to create cocktails, says Nick Bell, who is retail manager for Amathus Drinks and previously worked at top London bars. “Both have their own distinct characteristics which means they work well in different types of drink,” he points out. “Northland has lots of fruit and maltiness with a hint of peat and nuttiness on the palate. Because of its lightness, it’s good for classic cocktails that use blended whisky such as a Blood & Sand.”

Aurora starts off as the same liquid after

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distillation but ageing is different.

They mature 20% in first-fill Oloroso sherry hogsheads and 80% in firstfill bourbon barrels. Bottled at 46% ABV, the sherry maturation brings sweetness and a hint of spice.

This makes it suitable for a scotch twist on an Old Fashioned, Nick says, but cannot be used as a straight substitution. “It doesn’t have the same sweetness and vanilla and caramel notes as bourbon so you have to tone down the Angostura Bitters. If you use Wolfburn Northland, you could try using different bitters such as Fee Brothers Black Walnut Bitters because they accentuate the nutty undertone.” For a twist on a Manhattan, he suggests using Aurora with Ferdinand’s Sweet Symphony peach and hops bitters to bring out the maltiness plus a barspoon of Campari – bridging the gap with another bourbon classic, the Boulevardier.

Rob Roy

50ml Wolfburn Northland single malt whisky 25ml Vermouth 1 dash Angostura Bitters Stir the ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with orange or lemon zest.