The Rusty Nail is a classic two part drink made with scotch and Drambuie, the famous Scottish liqueur from the Isle of Skye made with blended scotch, heather honey and “herbs and spices”. The cocktail originates, according to cocktail historian David Wondrich, from 1937, attributed to F. Benniman and dubbed the BIF (British Industries Fair) presumably as a namesake drink for that event. It gained popularity as the Rusty Nail at the 21 club in 1960’s Manhattan, and was a favorite of the Hollywood “Rat Pack”.

For this variation, I’m swapping the requisite scotch for a particular brand of gin. Gray Whale gin is made by Golden State Distillery, a California company telling the tale of migratory gray whales in their spirit, which was inspired by a camping trip off Big Sur. The gin is distilled with botanicals foraged along the migratory path of the whales, and has a distinctive ocean salinity with flavors of Baja limes, fir tree, sea kelp, mint and almonds. It pairs surprisingly well with the herbal honey tones of Drambuie for what turns out to be a delicious twist on the classic. Cheers!

Rusty Whale

2 oz Gray Whale Gin

1 oz Drambuie

Stir ingredients with ice and strain into a favorite glass over a large cube. Lemon twist garnish.

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