Some believe the Rob Roy (the cocktail, not the 1995 Scottish drama starring Liam Neeson) was created in Hoboken, New Jersey, in the late 19th century. As the story goes, a sales rep for a particular brand of blended Scotch whisky asked bartender Henry August Orphal to make him a drink featuring his spirit. Orphal served the customer a scotch-based manhattan riff, casually creating what remains one of the world’s best-known scotch cocktails. Of course, success has many authors; others say the classic Rob Roy cocktail recipe originated at a New York City bar inside the Waldorf Astoria hotel, citing its proximity to the Herald Square Theater, where an operetta named for the Scottish folk hero Rob Roy was being performed.
Like most classic cocktails, Rob Roy recipes are iterative. You can use sweet or dry vermouth or split the difference to make a “perfect Rob Roy.” While blended Scotch whisky is the most common base spirit, you could just as well put American single malt or even Japanese whisky in yours. Swap the Angostura for Peychaud’s or orange bitters, and serve the drink in a chilled coupe, Nick & Nora, or martini glass. Garnish it with a lemon peel, orange peel, or maraschino cherry. After all, histories evolve—shouldn’t your cocktail too?
Recipe notes
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