Uploaded April 2016 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
This riff on a Whiskey Sour has become a modern classic cocktail. It's made with blended Scotch Whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger syrup, smoky Islay Scotch Whisky and candied ginger for garnish. It's a next level Whiskey Sour!
This drink was created around 2005 by Sam Ross, New York-based bartender. The flavors are rich and complex, but smooth and easy to sip. All of which helps make it one of my favorite cocktails. This was made just as he specified, with only one minor change, the base spirit.
Originally, Sam Ross used Asyla blended whisky for the base. I like it better with a different blended whisky from the same whiskymaker, Compass Box, for my base, which is The Great King Street - Artist's Blend. This slight update stays true to the intention of the original base spirit, which is to be smooth and not smoky or not too caramelly. The benefit is that Artist's Blend is richer in flavor, cheaper in price and higher in proof than Asyla. All the other ingredients, including The Peat Monster, remain the same. Artist's Blend (apple and vanilla flavors, almost like a good Bourbon) and The Peat Monster (deep smoky and malty flavors) are my preferred choices for this one, but feel free to use your favorite blended Scotch and Islay Scotch in your Penicillin.
Sam Ross allowed for a slice of fresh ginger as a garnish if you didn't have any candied ginger, but I prefer the candied ginger for the same reason you don't want to garnish this with a lemon twist. Both, a lemon twist and even a fresh slice of ginger, will throw off the nose of the drink and it's very important not to interfere with the smoky flavors that are floated on top. That way you don't miss out on this crucial aspect of this drink. The smoke comes almost entirely from the nose when you bring the glass to your face, and you certainly get a big hit of smoke at first, but the drink ends with an extremely smooth finish, in bold defiance of such dominating flavors such as peat and ginger.
Speaking of ginger, that's the biggest trap that people tend to fall into with this one. The ginger syrup, or perhaps better characterized as sweetened ginger juice, is key to the cocktail. Unfortunately this is the achilles heel of the drink at some places, because they'll cheat by using some other ginger-based sweetener. The real thing is just sweetened ginger juice. You take pure ginger juice (extracted from the root) and stir in sugar. It's extremely easy to make once you have the juice. Getting the ginger juice can sometimes be a little labor intensive, but once you have it, you'll realize why it was worth it.
As for the other syrup, the honey syrup, it's made 3:1. A fairly simple operation. Then in order to avoid having to figure out a 3/8 oz measurement of honey syrup and 3/8 oz measurement of ginger syrup, I like to combine the honey and ginger syrup right before I make a drink. 1.5 oz of honey syrup combined with 1.5 oz of ginger syrup, will make 4 drinks. So, adjust accordingly. Just make sure you don't cut corners on this one, it will seriously throw off the drink if the sweetener is changed. When this drink is made right, it's a huge, full orchestra of flavors playing a symphony in your mouth. Which is just what the doctor ordered. Cheeers!
Recipe:
2 oz blended Scotch
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup*
0.25 oz float peaty Scotch
garnish Candied Ginger
Shake blended Scotch, lemon juice & Honey-Ginger Syrup with ice. Strain over large ice in chilled rocks glass. Float smoky Scotch on top (or use an atomizer and give it 3-4 pumps on top of the drink). Garnish with Candied Ginger.
*1 part Honey Syrup (youtu.be/qZ9ndISIL8Q) & 1 part Ginger Syrup (youtu.be/nnC7zciq8XI)
Music:
"Vintage Nights" by Say Vandelay
Follow Us!
facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits
instagram.com/distinguishedspirits
twitter.com/DistinguishedSp
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Featured in This Episode:
Compass Box Great King St. Artist's Blend
compassboxwhisky.com/whiskies/index.php?id=5
Compass Box The Peat Monster
compassboxwhisky.com/whiskies/index.php?id=9
Other Scotches:
Haig Dimple Pinch
haigwhisky.com/haig-dimple-scotch-whisky
Laphroaig 10 year
laphroaig.com/whiskies/10yo.aspx
Bar Tools:
Godinger Dublin Double Old Fashioned Glass
amzn.to/1FT6LJU
OXO SteeL Double Jigger
amzn.to/1Mlqj8z
Fancy Toothpicks
amzn.to/1S6Jw3S
Cobbler Shaker
amzn.to/23qM45h
Atomizer
amzn.to/1PXFGtO
Citrus Juicer (Lemon)
amzn.to/1jVF2Rm
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1QgQTSW
Small Knife
amzn.to/1KDFQoc
This riff on a Whiskey Sour has become a modern classic cocktail. It's made with blended Scotch Whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger syrup, smoky Islay Scotch Whisky and candied ginger for garnish. It's a next level Whiskey Sour!
This drink was created around 2005 by Sam Ross, New York-based bartender. The flavors are rich and complex, but smooth and easy to sip. All of which helps make it one of my favorite cocktails. This was made just as he specified, with only one minor change, the base spirit.
Originally, Sam Ross used Asyla blended whisky for the base. I like it better with a different blended whisky from the same whiskymaker, Compass Box, for my base, which is The Great King Street - Artist's Blend. This slight update stays true to the intention of the original base spirit, which is to be smooth and not smoky or not too caramelly. The benefit is that Artist's Blend is richer in flavor, cheaper in price and higher in proof than Asyla. All the other ingredients, including The Peat Monster, remain the same. Artist's Blend (apple and vanilla flavors, almost like a good Bourbon) and The Peat Monster (deep smoky and malty flavors) are my preferred choices for this one, but feel free to use your favorite blended Scotch and Islay Scotch in your Penicillin.
Sam Ross allowed for a slice of fresh ginger as a garnish if you didn't have any candied ginger, but I prefer the candied ginger for the same reason you don't want to garnish this with a lemon twist. Both, a lemon twist and even a fresh slice of ginger, will throw off the nose of the drink and it's very important not to interfere with the smoky flavors that are floated on top. That way you don't miss out on this crucial aspect of this drink. The smoke comes almost entirely from the nose when you bring the glass to your face, and you certainly get a big hit of smoke at first, but the drink ends with an extremely smooth finish, in bold defiance of such dominating flavors such as peat and ginger.
Speaking of ginger, that's the biggest trap that people tend to fall into with this one. The ginger syrup, or perhaps better characterized as sweetened ginger juice, is key to the cocktail. Unfortunately this is the achilles heel of the drink at some places, because they'll cheat by using some other ginger-based sweetener. The real thing is just sweetened ginger juice. You take pure ginger juice (extracted from the root) and stir in sugar. It's extremely easy to make once you have the juice. Getting the ginger juice can sometimes be a little labor intensive, but once you have it, you'll realize why it was worth it.
As for the other syrup, the honey syrup, it's made 3:1. A fairly simple operation. Then in order to avoid having to figure out a 3/8 oz measurement of honey syrup and 3/8 oz measurement of ginger syrup, I like to combine the honey and ginger syrup right before I make a drink. 1.5 oz of honey syrup combined with 1.5 oz of ginger syrup, will make 4 drinks. So, adjust accordingly. Just make sure you don't cut corners on this one, it will seriously throw off the drink if the sweetener is changed. When this drink is made right, it's a huge, full orchestra of flavors playing a symphony in your mouth. Which is just what the doctor ordered. Cheeers!
Recipe:
2 oz blended Scotch
0.75 oz Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Honey-Ginger Syrup*
0.25 oz float peaty Scotch
garnish Candied Ginger
Shake blended Scotch, lemon juice & Honey-Ginger Syrup with ice. Strain over large ice in chilled rocks glass. Float smoky Scotch on top (or use an atomizer and give it 3-4 pumps on top of the drink). Garnish with Candied Ginger.
*1 part Honey Syrup (youtu.be/qZ9ndISIL8Q) & 1 part Ginger Syrup (youtu.be/nnC7zciq8XI)
Music:
"Vintage Nights" by Say Vandelay
Follow Us!
facebook.com/DistinguishedSpirits
instagram.com/distinguishedspirits
twitter.com/DistinguishedSp
pinterest.com/DistinguishedSp
Featured in This Episode:
Compass Box Great King St. Artist's Blend
compassboxwhisky.com/whiskies/index.php?id=5
Compass Box The Peat Monster
compassboxwhisky.com/whiskies/index.php?id=9
Other Scotches:
Haig Dimple Pinch
haigwhisky.com/haig-dimple-scotch-whisky
Laphroaig 10 year
laphroaig.com/whiskies/10yo.aspx
Bar Tools:
Godinger Dublin Double Old Fashioned Glass
amzn.to/1FT6LJU
OXO SteeL Double Jigger
amzn.to/1Mlqj8z
Fancy Toothpicks
amzn.to/1S6Jw3S
Cobbler Shaker
amzn.to/23qM45h
Atomizer
amzn.to/1PXFGtO
Citrus Juicer (Lemon)
amzn.to/1jVF2Rm
Cutting Board
amzn.to/1QgQTSW
Small Knife
amzn.to/1KDFQoc
