The Ross Roy cocktail is a Cocktails & Bars’ take on the classic, named after Ross Blainey, The Balvenie Brand Ambassador.
Ross Roy Cocktail – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
Most cocktail enthusiasts would be familiar with the Rob Roy cocktail, essentially a Scotch whisky Manhattan. The mix of whisky and sweet vermouth which dates back to 1894 is attributed to a bartender at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan, New York City.
The Ross Roy cocktail is our take on the classic which is named after Ross Blainey, a long-time friend of Cocktails & Bars and The Balvenie Brand Ambassador in Australia.
Over the years, Ross has hosted several engaging masterclasses, tasting sessions, product launches and events which we had the pleasure of attending. As the Rob Roy cocktail was often served at these events as a welcome drink, we decided to (re)name this cocktail after him albeit with a little twist.
The Ross Roy is essentially a re-imagined smoky Rob Roy with an additional ingredient but it is the sum of its parts that makes it a special drink.
Naturally, the base spirit is The Balvenie single malt, and in this case, we used The Balvenie The Week of Peat 14 YO, an expression which is part of The Balvenie Stories which Ross launched in Australia in 2019. It’s a peated malt which is rather unusual for The Balvenie, rich in honey, vanilla and citrus notes with an extra layer of delicate and lingering smoke.
The sweet vermouth is La Quintinye Vermouth Rouge which has a base of Pineau des Charentes Rouge and 28 botanicals which impart robust flavours, lingering aromas of sweet vanilla, spice notes and a long finish. The other key ingredient is a barspoon of the liquid from our very own recipe for brandied cherries.
The ingredients come together to deliver a luxuriant re-imagined classic cocktail that does its namesake and this Balvenie expression justice.
Ross Roy Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 60ml The Balvenie The Week of Peat 14 YO
- 30ml La Quintinye Vermouth Royal Rouge
- 1 barspoon of brandied cherries juice*
- 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Glassware: Nick and Nora coupette
Garnish: brandied cherry
Method
In a mixing glass, stir all ingredients over ice. Strain into a chilled Nick and Nora coupette and garnish with a brandied cherry.
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