Rob Roy Cocktail Recipe • Novel Nightcaps

Name: Rob Roy
Prep time: 3 min
Cook time: 2 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 2 fl oz Scotch Whisky; 1 fl oz Sweet Vermouth; 2 dashes Aromatic Bitters; 1 Cherry

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Cocktail History

The Rob Roy is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in 1894 at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel’s original 5th Avenue location in New York City, New York. Named for an operetta that was popular at the time, the recipe is essentially a Manhattan that is also made with whiskey, sweet vermouth, bitters, and a cherry, but it swaps out rye or bourbon for Scotch to create an entirely different 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. We used The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky because its smoky and sweet flavor works well in cocktails. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the whisky.

Sweet Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth because it’s a high quality vermouth with dark notes of herbs, figs, licorice, cinnamon, and cocoa. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Rosso in place of the sweet vermouth.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.

Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. We used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries because they’re high quality and delicious.

Bartending Tools

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

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We 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. We used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We 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. We used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.

Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.

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Tasting Notes

The Rob Roy features smoky, woodsy aromas of Scotch which lead into a flavor that combines those elements with vanilla-tinged vermouth to create a slightly sweet, spirituous taste. On the finish, the herbaceous bitters then show up and leave a savory note reminiscent of sherry in the throat.

Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We did both like this recipe better than the classic Manhattan. Kendall, who isn’t typically a fan of spirit-forward Scotch cocktails like this, gave her “It-didn’t-make-me-wince” stamp of approval. Meanwhile, Alex enjoyed the Rob Roy for its complexity and spirituousness, but like the Manhattan, he doesn’t think it’s one he’ll find himself making very often.

Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐
“I’m not a fan of Scotch yet, but I want it on record that this is the first whisky-forward drink that did not make me cough or wince when I first tasted it. Maybe my palate is finally developing? That aside, I’m still not likely to request the Rob Roy again because it is seriously Scotch flavored and boozier than I prefer my cocktails be. I did appreciate its complexity though and liked it more than other Scotch drinks I’ve had.”