Real men drink whisky, but not all of us can afford to buy super expensive bottles of the single malt stuff. Fortunately, there is plenty of blended Scotch whisky out there that offers great value at an affordable price and, most importantly, is delicious. One such brand is The Black Grouse, the “smokier cousin” of The Famous Grouse. Described as having a “light, aromatic smokiness of the peated malt whiskies,” The Black Grouse also has a silky smoothness good for sipping or using in cocktails — like in the four recipes below. (For more, follow The Famous Grouse on Twitter)
SMOKED ROSE
Created by Tony Hoff, Sassafras (Hollywood, CA)
Ingredients:
2 oz. The Black Grouse
.25 oz. rosemary syrup
.5 oz. Green Chartreuse
1 sprig smoked rosemary
Preparation:
Stir The Black Grouse, rosemary syrup and Green Chartreuse together in a mixing glass, strain into a rosemary-smoked coupe glass and garnish with smoked rosemary sprig.
BLACK IN FASHION
Created by James Burton, Sassafras
Ingredients:
2.5 oz. The Black Grouse
1 smoked sugar cube
3 dashes aromatic bitters
Preparation:
Muddle the smoked sugar cube with The Black Grouse and bitters until dissolved, stir with ice in a rocks glass.
HEEBIE JEEBIE
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Created by Zachary Henry, Next Door Lounge (Hollywood, CA)
Ingredients:
1.75 oz. The Black Grouse
.25 oz. Velvet Falernum
.75 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz simple syrup
.25 oz egg white
Yellow Chartreuse rinse
Preparation:
Dry shake first five ingredients together, then shake with ice and strain into a Yellow Chartreuse rinsed coupette glass. Garnish with an Angostura Bitters “branded” star.
SMOKIN APPLE
Created by Zachary Henry, Next Door Lounge
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. The Black Grouse
.5 oz. Berentzen Apple
.75 oz. apple juice
.25 oz. lemon juice
.5 oz. plum syrup
Preparation:
Shake all ingredients together, strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a grilled apple slice.
