The Rob Roy – often called The Scottish Manhattan – is an absolute classic made by mixing Scotch, Red Vermouth, and Angustura Bitters.
It’s a potent classic at that.
Click here to dive right into our Rob Roy recipe.
What’s in a Rob Roy?
You make a Rob Roy by mixing Scotch, Red Vermouth, and Angostura Bitters, stirring it, and then serving it in a cocktail glass.
Manhattan Similarities
The Rob Roy is often referred to as The Scottish Manhattan and that’s because the ingredients are virtually the same as the American Classic.
The only difference is, the Manhattan recipe uses American Rye Whisky and the Rob Roy specifically calls for Scotch.
Scotch Whisky
Scotch Whiskey is a malt or grain whisky – or a blend of the two, referred to as blended – made in Scotland.
All Scotch Whisky was originally made just using malted barley, but more commercialised distilleries began making it from wheat and rye in the late 18th century.
All Scotch Whisky must be aged immediately after distillation in oak barrels for at least three years and the minimum strength must be 40% alcohol by volume.
As of 2022, there are 141 whisky distilleries operating in Scotland.
For Scotch Whisky, we’d recommend:
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Red Vermouth
Vermouth is an aromatic fortified wine that’s flavoured with various botanicals and is sometimes coloured.
Traditionally, Vermouth was used for medicinal purposes (we’ve heard that one before, am I right guys?) but was later served as an aperitif in fashionable Turin cafes in the mid to late 18th century.
By the 19th century, it’d become popular with bartenders in the creation of fancy cocktails such as the Martini, the Manhattan, the Rob Roy, and the Negroni.
For Red Vermouth, we recommend:
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Angostura Bitters
Angostura bitters is a concentrated bitters (aka a herbal alcoholic preparation) based on gentian (a kind of clear liqueur), herbs, and spices.
It’s produced by the House of Angostura in Trinidad and Tobago and is called Angostura as it was created in the town of Angostura in Venezuela.
Typically, Angostura Bitters are used for flavouring beverages and also produce orange bitters to add to the alcoholic flavouring collection.
For Angostura Bitters, we recommend:
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Cocktails with Angostura Bitters
How do You Garnish a Rob Roy Cocktail?
The garnish of a cocktail is almost as important as the ingredients.
So how do you garnish a Rob Roy? Maraschino Cherries.
Maraschino Cherries
Maraschino Cherries are preserved, sweetened cherries that regularly used as a garnish in a variety of different cocktails.
In short, they can make a cocktail pop.
For Maraschino Cherries, we recommend:
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What do you need to make a Rob Roy?
Okay, Rob Roy ingredients covered, let’s take a look at the equipment you’re gonna need to make and present the drink.
Cocktail Glass
This cocktail recipe tastes great, but let’s make it look great too.
Having the right glass for the right cocktail always makes the experience more enjoyable in my experience.
And the right glass is a cocktail glass.
We recommend:
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Mixing Glass
If you have a cocktail recipe that calls for the mix to be stirred, rather than shaken, then a Mixing Glass is the way to go.
Why? Because it’s easier to stir and pour the mix, by design. Also, it’s cooler.
For a Mixing Glass, we recommend:
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Bar Spoon
Bar Spoons are great for cocktails you’re suppose to stir, rather than shake in a cocktail shaker.
Sure, you can probably use any spoon to stir your drink but these bar spoons are the real deal. It’s the proper equipment to get the job right.
- They’re long enough to get to the bottom of any cocktail to allow you to properly stir.
- They have a twist spiral design that allows for a better grip.
- They’re made out of stainless steel, so they’re durable, corrosion resistant, and easy to clean.
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Hawthorne Strainer
If you (or perhaps the person your buying for) don’t have a Hawthorne strainer as part of a cocktail shaker set, it’s a great, and incredibly useful, cocktail gift you need in your cocktail toolbox.
The strainer is typically used to remove the ice (or any other unwanted solid ingredients) from your cocktail as it’s poured from the cocktail shaker into your glass.
For a Hawthorne Strainer, we recommend:
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History of the Rob Roy Cocktail
The Rob Roy, a version of the Manhattan, was named after a Broadway Production about the legendary Scottish outlaw in 1894.
However, perhaps that was just what made the drink so popular as later the same recipe was discovered in Charlie Paul’s cocktail book American and Other Drinks published in 1884 in London.
Rob Roy Recipe
Rob Roy
Ingredients
- Scotch Whiskey 60ml / 2oz
- Red Vermouth 30ml / 1oz
- 3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- A Maraschino Cherry to garnish
Recipe
- Put a cocktail glass in the fridge to chill
- Add Ice, Whiskey, Red Vermouth, and Angostura Bitters to a mixing glass
- Stir well with a bar spoon
- Use a Hawthorne Strainer to strain the mix into your chilled cocktail glass
- Add a maraschino cherry to garnish
Want More Cocktail Recipes?
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