I very rarely let another person add a recipe to my site, but I made an exception in this case. I also almost never provide a recipe for something that is never, ever, under any circumstances, going to pass my lips! But in this case, even though I think Scotch belongs in the class of alcohol that is fit only for possible survival if you are lost in the wilderness*, I decided I would post this recipe for one of Mr. Cs favorite drinks. (I even let him write up the ingredient list and instructions.)

And yes I do know that many people consider Scotch and other types of whisky drinkable. But I have never found any whiskey that I can get past my nose, much less down my throat! But Scotch is the worst. Who in their right mind would drink an alcohol made from rain water that has flowed over hill sides overgrown with heath and through peat meadows? Not to mention that the Caol Ila recommended in this recipe also tastes of iodine and smoke, with a distinct medicinal smell. Think Band-Aids! (The taste of Caol Ila is consistent with the peaty, iodine taste associated with Islay (pronounced “eye-luh”) malts, of which Caol is one. Plus it’s readily available. That’s always a nice thing!)

So there you have it. Mr. C is a Scotch lover. He of course loves this drink, but he also loves his Scotch neat, on the rocks, or in a Rusty Nail. (Mr. C prefers a not-so-sweet Nail – 4 part Scotch, 1 part Drambuie).

So setting my own bias aside, and once again offering incontrovertible proof that I respect my dear husbands palate as much as my own, I offer you this recipe from Rick, our dear brother-in-law.

And should you try this drink and like it, please leave me a reply. Mr. C would love to hear from you. If you hate the drink, just remember, you were warned. But don’t fret. Go fix yourself a lovely dry martini, and within 15 minutes, the world will be back in order. Ahhhhh – I’ll drink to that!!

*For more information, go onto the backpacker.com site and search under “Survival: Lost with…Only a Bottle of Whiskey”.

• 2 oz. blended Scotch whiskey*
• 1 oz. King’s Ginger Liqueur
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¼ oz. honey syrup (see recipe below)
• ¼ oz. single malt Scotch whiskey**

In a cocktail shaker, combine the blended Scotch, ginger liqueur, lemon juice, and honey syrup; add ice and shake well.  Decant into a Tom Collins glass with some of the ice.  “Float” the single malt Scotch on top by pouring slowly over the back of a spoon into the glass. Makes 1 cocktail.

*The blended Scotch whiskey used in this drink should have a moderate to strong peaty flavor.  “Islay Mist” brand is excellent for this drink.

**The single malt Scotch whiskey used in this drink should similarly have a moderately strong (but not overwhelming) peaty flavor.  An Islay malt such as Caol Ila is a good choice.

Honey Syrup:

Combine 1 part honey and 1 part water in a small saucepan. Heat to a simmer while stirring; allow to cool.  Leftover syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.