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Cocktail History
The Old Grampian is a modern cocktail that was created by Isaac Shumway at Tosca Café in San Francisco, California. The recipe is a simple variation of an Old Fashioned that calls for a base of both blended and peated Islay Scotch, and it pairs them with rich honey and aromatic bitters to make a complex sipper that is meant to be enjoyed slowly.
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.
Islay Scotch: This is a type of of Scotch whisky made in southern Scotland with spices, alcohol, water, and malt or grain that has been dried with peat fires. I used Laphroig 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey 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 Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Orange Bitters.
Orange Twist: This is 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: Brown-orange color
• Aroma: Citrus and whisky
• Taste: Honey rich Scotch flavor rounded out with earthy smoke, chocolate, and oak
• Finish: Lingering but not aggressive smokiness
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I finally found another drink that might make me like Scotch someday! As of right now, Scotch lands in the same arena as mezcal for me—too much like the taste of smoke or rubber. But in this cocktail, it’s quite palatable thanks to the sweet notes. I might even make it through an entire glass of the Old Grampian.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.
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 2025-01-13.
Old Grampian
The Old Grampian is a modern cocktail that was created by Isaac Shumway at Tosca Café in San Francisco, California. The recipe is a simple variation of an Old Fashioned that calls for a base of both blended and peated Islay Scotch, and it pairs them with rich honey and aromatic bitters to make a complex sipper that is meant to be enjoyed slowly.
Ingredients
Method
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Add blended Scotch, Islay Scotch, honey syrup, aromatic bitters, and orange bitters to a lowball glass.
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Squeeze orange peel over top of the glass and rub around the inside.
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Add cracked ice.
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Stir for 10-15 seconds.
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Garnish with orange peel.
