Repeal Day - December 5th

I'm going to join in and help Jeffrey Morgenthaler spread the word about Repeal Day. December 5th marks the date that the 21st ammendment was ratified and prohibition was over. In 1933, Joe Kennedy, the American agent for Dewar's and Gordon's was ready with massive stocks for repeal day. This year, I propose you stock up on some whisky, and raise a glass and toast Repeal Day.

Here's a classic Prohibition-era cocktail from Emmet Atherton's 1933 "Be A Good Mixer, Here's How."

Rob Roy Cocktail (1933)

Fill glass half full with shaved ice.
2 dashes orange bitters
One quarter wine glass Scotch Whiskey (sic)
One Quarter wine glass French Vermouth

Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass.
Twist a piece of lemon peel on top and serve.

I'm going to adapt this a little bit to match my scotch whisky and simplify the recipe with modern measures.

Here's my recipe for Repeal Day:

Rob Roy

Fill a mixing glass with ice.
2 dashes Regan's Orange Bitters.
1 1/2 oz Dewar's 12 Scotch Whisky.
1 oz Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth
Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with a flamed lemon twist.

Like many of the vermouth drinks, you need to adjust the amount of vermouth to match the base spirit. I'm using Dewar's 12 which is a smooth and malty whisky, so I cut back on the vermouth a bit to let the round character of the Dewar's 12 shine through.

A toast to the 21st Amendment.