Flying Scotsman

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Cocktail History

The Flying Scotsman is a classic cocktail that was created by Harry Craddock in the 1930s and was first published in his book The Savoy Cocktail Book. The recipe was named for the record-setting train built in 1923 and, according to history books, was even served to the first-class passengers on its many voyages. Though largely a variation of the Rob Roy that is also made with Scotch, fortified wine, and aromatic bitters, it adds more sweet vermouth and mixes simple syrup into the drink to give it much sweeter and less aggressive flavor profile.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Scotch: This is a type of whiskey made in Scotland with malt or grain, spices, alcohol, and water. I used The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky.

Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

Orange Zest: This is the peel of an orange that has been grated into the top of the glass.

Orange Twist: This is the peel of an orange that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Orange-brown color

• Aroma: Strong and bright orange and smoky whisky

• Taste: Prominent vermouth flavor accented with vanilla and whisky spices

• Finish: Hints of orange and more smoky allspice

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: “I’ve tried several new Scotch recipes recently, all of which have been surprisingly palatable to me since I typically steer clear of that type of whisky. That said, the Flying Scotsman didn’t do it for me. In my opinion, the vermouth overpowered the Scotch far too much, and that’s saying something because, again, I don’t even care for Scotch. I probably wouldn’t make this one again without changing the ratios.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock.

This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-15.