The Rusty Nail, in honor of Mr. Schmid

Good Evening, Thirsty Readers. The subject cocktail is not one I had tonight, but one that my tester requested. I passed on it  - I think it is too sweet and too wintery for this time of year. I opted instead for a gin martini made with Old Tom style gin. But, more on that cocktail tomorrow.

The Rusty Nail is a mix of Scotch and Drambuie Liqueur. It might have been around as early as 1937, but became popular in the 1960s.  I looked it up on Wikipedia and found this:

[Cocktail authority] Dale DeGroff notes, "The Rusty Nail is often credited to the clever bartenders at the 21 Club in Manhattan sometime in the early 1960s."  The cocktail's name was finally cemented in 1963, when Gina MacKinnon, the chairwoman of the Drambuie Liqueur Company, gave the Rusty Nail her endorsement in The New York Times. DeGroff observes that in the early 1960s "the Rat Pack was enamored of the drink, which may have been responsible for the wide appeal in those years."

Whenever I think of the Rusty Nail, I can't help but remember Mr. Schmid, my music teacher and band director at Herkimer High School, back in the day. The Rusty Nail was, and I believe it still may be, one of his go-to cocktails. Mr. Schmid was nothing short of an awesome teacher, band director and friend.  So, here's to you, Mr. Schmid! 

I think of the Rusty Nail as more of a winter drink, so if you want, you can save this recipe for colder days. Or if you love Scotch and Drambuie all year round, have at it. It's a cinch to make. For those who like a very sweet drink, you can increase the amount of Drambuie. Some recipes call for a 1:1 mixture. I would find that far, far too sweet for my taste, but don't let that stop you. I used 1 part Drambuie to 4 parts Scotch and thought it was plenty sweet. 

Has a simple elegance, doesn't it? Note the perfect ice cubes.

 The Rusty Nail, in honor of Mr. Schmid

2 ounces Blended Scotch (use a good one, please)

1/2 ounce Drambuie Liqueur

Pour the Scotch and Drambuie into an old fashioned glass. Add a goodly amount of ice and stir. Raise a glass to Mr. Schmid's health. Cheers!

(Alternatively, one could make the "Straight Up Nail". Shake the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass.)

Cheers!