In blood & spirit

The Blood & Sand cocktail is an equaliser and has stood the test of time for good reason

Invented in the 1920s in honour of the Rudolph Valentino film of the same name, the Blood & Sand has withstood the test of time for a 100 years. This classic is made by combining equal parts Scotch, sweet vermouth, Cherry Heering (the “blood”), and orange juice (the “sand”), although modern bartenders frequently adjust the proportions to tone down its sweetness.

If scotch is Douglas Fairbanks, the Blood and Sand is Rudolph Valentino. Like Valentino, the Blood and Sand is something of a dandy — a sleek, sweet, sophisticated cocktail that takes scotch as its base spirit and dresses it up with the curious combination of sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, and orange juice. It’s the perfect gateway drink for people who don’t think they like scotch and an enjoyable change of pace for scotch lovers who usually take it straight.

Most whiskey drinkers prefer to mix blended scotches into their cocktails and this is often the best choice.

Blended whiskeys tend to be a bit more affordable and the flavour more universal than many of the single malts. This cocktail requires all of its ingredients to be added in equal parts. It’s easy to remember, easy to assemble
and often ensures you get a balanced serve.

Ingredients

3/4 ounce scotch

3/4 ounce sweet vermouth

3/4 ounce Heering cherry liqueur

3/4 ounce fresh orange juice

Garnish: orange peel

Method

Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake.

Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.

Garnish with an orange peel.