Alright, let’s talk about finding the right scotch for a Rusty Nail. This isn’t about fancy reviews, just what I went through trying to make a really good one at home.
Getting Started: Why Bother?
I’ve always liked the Rusty Nail. Simple, just two ingredients, scotch and Drambuie. But I noticed sometimes it tasted amazing, other times… just okay. Figured the scotch must be the key part that changes. The Drambuie is always Drambuie, right? Strong, sweet, kinda herbal. So, the scotch has to stand up to it but not fight it.
My goal wasn’t complicated: find a scotch that makes the drink smooth, balanced, where you can taste both the scotch and the Drambuie without one completely drowning out the other. I didn’t want anything too harsh or anything that just vanished behind the liqueur.
First Round: The Blends
So, I started where most people probably do – with blended scotch. It’s usually what bars use for cocktails. I had a couple lying around. I think I started with something pretty standard, like a Johnnie Walker Black Label. Poured a measure of that, added about half as much Drambuie. Some folks go 1:1, but I prefer letting the scotch lead a bit, maybe 2:1 or 3:1. Stirred it down with ice, nice and cold.
First attempt: It was decent. The smokiness in the Black Label came through a bit, which was nice. But it felt… okay, not great. It didn’t quite meld perfectly, felt like two separate things in the glass.
Next up: Tried another blend, maybe something a bit smoother, I think it was a Chivas Regal 12. Repeated the process. This one was smoother, definitely. Less smoky kick. It blended better with the sweet Drambuie, felt more harmonious. But maybe a little too smooth? It lacked a bit of character perhaps. It was pleasant, easy drinking, but not exciting.
Moving On: Trying Single Malts
Okay, blends were fine, but I wasn’t wowed yet. I thought, maybe a single malt is the way to go? They usually have more distinct flavor profiles. I didn’t want to go straight for the super peaty stuff, figured that might be too much competition for the Drambuie.
Speyside Calling: I grabbed a Glenfiddich 12, a pretty common and generally agreeable Speyside malt. Known for being fruity, grassy, quite light. Mixed it up. Now this was interesting. The lighter, fruitier notes of the Glenfiddich seemed to really complement the honey and herbs in the Drambuie. It didn’t fight it, it sort of danced with it. Much better balance, you could still taste the scotch character. It wasn’t getting lost.
Another Smooth Operator: Tried a Glenlivet 12 next, another Speysider known for smoothness. Similar result to the Glenfiddich, maybe even a touch smoother. Again, the lack of heavy peat or smoke seemed key. It let the Drambuie shine but still held its own ground. It felt like a proper partnership in the glass.
What About a Little Smoke?
Now I was curious. What if I tried something with just a hint of smoke or coastal character, not a full-on peat bomb? I had some Highland Park 12, which has that gentle heathery smoke.
The Highland Test: Mixed one up with the Highland Park. This was different again. That little bit of smoke added another layer. It worked surprisingly well, actually. The sweetness of the Drambuie balanced the light smoke, and the malt character was still there. It was a more complex drink, maybe not for everyone’s taste for a classic Rusty Nail, but I quite enjoyed it.
My Findings and What I Settled On
So after messing around with these different bottles, here’s what I figured out for my perfect Rusty Nail.
The sweet spot: For me, the smoother, non-peated single malts, particularly from the Speyside region like Glenfiddich 12 or Glenlivet 12, worked best. They had enough character to be noticed but were smooth enough to blend beautifully with the strong flavors of Drambuie. They created a balanced, flavorful drink where both ingredients got along.
A richer, smoother blend like Chivas Regal 12 was also a very decent option, probably better than the smokier blends for this particular cocktail if you ask me. It’s a safe bet.
Something with a gentle smoke like Highland Park 12 offered a really interesting twist, but it changes the classic profile quite a bit. Good for a change-up, maybe not the everyday go-to if you want that traditional taste.
What didn’t work as well (for me): Heavily peated scotches (though I didn’t test the extreme ones this time, I’ve had them before in Rusty Nails and find they often dominate too much) and maybe some of the sharper, grainier blends felt a bit rough around the edges when mixed.
Ultimately, it comes down to taste. But if you’re starting out, I’d definitely suggest trying a good quality, smoother blended scotch or an accessible Speyside single malt first. That seemed to be the best launching pad for a really enjoyable Rusty Nail based on my little experiment. It was fun figuring it out, anyway!
