At least 2020 is behind us. It’s hard to imagine a more absurd year than we just had. Usually around this time I like to sit around and reflect on the happenings of the last 12 months, but let’s not spend too much time thinking about all that nonsense, unless you were really into binge watching Netflix or working from home in your PJs for months on end.
Let’s look forward together. The first part of 2021 may still be hard, but at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Rather than getting upset about missing out on big holiday gatherings, Super Bowl parties, and other group activities, I’m here to help you find something to celebrate at home solo and to help you not feel weird about drinking at home alone. We got over that after the first 20 or so times that happened since last March, didn’t we?
Burns Night is January 25. Mostly known in Scotland, it is a celebration of poet Robert Burns’ life and works. Yep, he’s the guy who wrote “Auld Lang Syne” (aka the New Year’s Song), but he wrote many other things as well. The traditional way to celebrate is to read some of his works and enjoy a nice dram and maybe a bit of haggis — if you can find it and feel adventurous.
A dram of whisky is always nice, but I wouldn’t be much of a cocktail nerd if I didn’t recommend a Scotch cocktail for y’all to whip up. Below is one of my favorites, named for the Bard himself, the Bobby Burns. So take this wonderful opportunity to enjoy some delicious Scotch and read some of Burns’ poetry.
Scotch Cocktail
- 12 oz Scotch whisky
- 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
- 1/4 oz Benedictine
Add everything to a mixing glass with ice. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Serve with a shortbread cookie.
You can go in many directions with the whisky here. A good blended whisky is probably the best place to start. Something like a Famous Grouse, Dewars White Label, or the now defunct Compass Box Asyla, if you can find it, will work very well. If you find that you like the drink, try experimenting with a single malt or two. Something with a bit of peat smoke works well here too — try a Highland Park or Johnnie Walker Black.
Vermouth 101
A significant number of professionals and amateurs alike do a terrible job when it comes to the proper handling of vermouth. It serves us well to start with what vermouth is: a fortified and aromatized wine. Yep, wine! That alone should tell you that you don’t want to keep it on a shelf next to your bourbon and gin for an extended period of time, but let’s go just a bit deeper. Fortified? Vermouth is fortified by the addition of a spirit. The spirit is usually a neutral grape spirit, which acts as a preservative for the vermouth, extending the shelf life more than the typical bottle of wine. Aromatized? I find this to be what most folks overlook when they think of vermouth. In the dumbed-down, simplest of terms, vermouth has flavors added to it — spices, roots, botanicals. Among those, wormwood is typical. In fact, in the European Union, you can’t actually call a product vermouth unless it has wormwood — the word vermouth comes from Old German for wormwood.
Most people think of vermouth as strictly a mixer. Manhattans, martinis, Bobby Burns, etc. But don’t be afraid to enjoy it on its own or with a bit of soda water for a low ABV tipple. After all, the thing has a limited shelf life, so go ahead and enjoy it while it is still tasty. And for the love of God, please store it in the fridge.
Now that you know a little about vermouth,
Happy New Year!
