The Cocktail College Podcast: The Rusty Nail
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The Rusty Nail is essentially just Scotch and Drambuie stirred over ice. There’s no citrus, no dilution debates, not even a garnish war. And yet, this two-ingredient relic has a history as layered as the whisky it’s built on. Born sometime between the 1930s and 1960s (depending on whom you believe), the Rusty Nail found its calling in the hands of the Rat Pack. The crooners helped turn the cocktail into a mid-century staple for those enjoying late nights and jazz music. But then came the decline. “It’s too simple!” they cried. “Too sweet!”
The cocktail faded into the background for decades — until now. Today on the “Cocktail College” podcast, Tim McKirdy is joined by Jordan Valls, bar manager at Palomar in Portland, Ore., to discuss the Rusty Nail, its lofty history, and its hopeful future. Tune in for more.
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Jordan Valls’ Rusty Nail Recipe
Ingredients
¼ ounce Drambuie
½ ounce papaya cordial
½ ounce Cutty Sark Prohibition
1 ½ ounces Johnnie Walker Red Label
4 dashes Angostura cocoa bitters
Garnish: orange coin
Directions
Add all the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
Stir to combine and strain into a rocks glass over a large cube of ice.
Garnish with an orange coin.
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