Blood and Sand

There aren’t all that many classic cocktails that feature scotch as the base spirit. We tend to assume that this is both because scotch already had a long history of both quality (and plenty of fans), but also because many scotch whiskies are so potent that they overshadow other ingredients in drinks. One of the few classic scotch cocktails out there is the Blood and Sand. This drink was named after a 1922 Rudolph Valentino film of the same title.

The cocktail only has four ingredients – scotch, Cherry Heering, sweet vermouth and blood orange juice – and it is an equal parts drink. Although the recipe is straightforward, it is important to pay attention to each element because one small change can throw off the whole thing. It turns out that the Chivas Mizunara is downright outstanding in a Blood and Sand, giving the drink a smooth and smoky scotch backbone without overpowering the more subtle citrus. Fresh blood orange juice is also key. The juice not only has a great color, but it has a sweeter and less acidic flavor than some other orange juices, helping to balance the drink nicely. The drink won’t be the same with other orange juice.

So pick up some blood oranges when they’re in season and whip up this classic. Garnish it with an orange twist, a flamed orange twist or a dried orange wheel. We set aside a few blood oranges to dehydrate and used a wheel as our garnish here.

Blood and Sand
3/4 oz Blended Scotch
3/4 oz Cherry Heering liqueur
3/4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3/4 oz fresh blood orange juice

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a coupe and garnish with a dried orange slice.