Drambuie is a Scottish liqueur made from aged malt whiskey, heather honey and herbs and spices. Some of the suggested spices have been saffron and cloves. Of course, the manufacturer will not divulge the exact ingredients. It contains 40% alcohol. No matter what it contains, Drambuie is a wonderfully sweet liqueur that finishes off a special meal perfectly. There is also nothing like having a shot of Drambuie on a cold, damp winter evening to warm your toes...
Drambuie is manufactured by The Drambuie Liqueuer Company, Ltd. Production is based in Broxburn in the West Lothians. The liqueur has a rather fanciful legend build up around it. When Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) escaped after the battle of Culloden in 1746 he was given refuge by Clan MacKinnon. To repay their kindness, it is said that the prince gave the clan captain a recipe for Drambuie. It was then passed onto an innkeeper named James Ross in 1893; he improved the recipe and the name Drambuie was coined by a friend. Drambuie comes from the Celtic "am dram buidheach" which means "the drink that satisfies." Next, after the death of James Ross, his wife sold the recipe to the current producers the MacKinnon family. The liqueuer was first sold commercially in 1910.
Many drinks can be created starting with Drambuie as a base, here are a few of my favorites, they come from Drambuie.com and Rampant Scotland:
Highland Coffee Add 1 oz of Drambuie to a cup Fill the cup up with coffee Christmas Toddy 1 part Drambuie 2 parts cider 2 parts boiling water 3 squeezes of lemon Garnish with lemon and cinnamon stick Serve in a tall glass or a cup Dry Manhattan 2 parts Drambuie 1/2 part dry vermouth A dash of bitters Pour into a martini glass and serve. | Kiltlifter 1.5 oz single malt Scotch whisky 1 oz Drambuie 2.5 oz lime juice Shake and pour over ice in an old fashioned glass Loch Lomond 2 oz Scotch whisky 1/2 oz Drambuie 1/2 oz dry vermouth 1 twist of lemon peel Half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the ingredients and stir. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a twist of lemon peel. Warm Woolly Sheep 1 oz Scotch whisky 1 1/2 oz Drambuie Warm milk Mix the Scotch and Drambuie in a glass, top with warm milk |
