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Nessie cocktail

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (34)
Measurements in:
Serves:
1
Ingredients
1 1/2 fl oz Blended Scotch whisky
1/4 fl oz Peated single malt whisky
3/4 fl oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
1/4 fl oz Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur
1/6 fl oz Lustau San Emilio Pedro Ximénez Sherry
2 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged bitters

How to make

Glassware

Serve in a Coupe glass

Prepare

  1. Select and pre-chill a COUPE GLASS.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist curled to resemble Nessie.

Method

  1. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  2. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.

Garnish

  1. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 6/10

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Nessie cocktail contains 176 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.6 standard drinks
  • 25.39% alc./vol. (50.77° proof)
  • 22.4 grams of pure alcohol

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

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History

Created in January 2015 by yours truly in tribute to the Loch Ness Monster, a.k.a. Nessie, who reputedly inhabits Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands.

Review

A Rob Roy (Scotch Manhattan) with walnut liqueur and Pedro Ximénez sherry.

Cocktail of the day:

22nd July 2026 is The anniversary of the Loch Ness Monster's fame

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Comments & Discussion

Peter Pendergest Premium Member
Another one of those cocktails that improves once it’s sat for a bit, giving the flavors a chance to harmonize. Used an Arbeg (which is really just liquid smoke), with JW Green. The Green lowers the intensity of the Arbeg, but it’s extreme smokiness still provides a bit of a backbone. Not my favorite (apologies Mr Diffird), but still enjoyable.
score: 1
John CARR Premium Member
Didn’t have the barrel aged bitters but can easily imagine the match … really loved the other flavours so might have to invest just for this! Subbed with two dashes bokers and several drops walnut bitters. Perfectly balanced, as one has to come to expect from Simon, yet somehow still pleasantly surprised 😉. Chairs!
score: 1
John CARR Premium Member
Second version with Johnnie Walker double black 50ml, two dash BT aromatic bitters. Tempted to up the PX to 7.5 but either way Superb. 5 stars 🌟.
score: 1
Matt Premium Member
Dee Stump summed it up best - in comment below from 2022. Very nice scotch cocktail, smokey but still on the approachable side. I think the use of Nux with barrell aged bitters is excellent.
score: 2
Ruth Harvey
Lost a wonderful Scottish Friend last night. I made this in his honour...I'm sure he would approve. Rest in peace dear Murray.
score: 4
Simon Sedgley Premium Member
It's a lovely, serious cocktail. On a whim, because some monsters can be fun, we substituted 15ml Luxardo Aperitivo for the Rosso Vermouth and dialled the peated whisky down to 5ml. And we did it in a Nick and Nora glass in acknowledgement of Nessie's quiet elegance.
score: 1
John Hinojos Premium Member
Perfect mixture of ingredients. Although my mother was from Scotland, I am not a big fan of the smoky. Decided to try this as it was one of the cocktails of the day. What a delightful surprise to see the ingredients work together. There is still a hint of smoky, but it is not overpowering. Loved it.
score: 3
Dee Stump
Islay enhances the blended scotch.
PX sherry enhances the sweet vermouth.
Nocello enhances the bitters.
A smooth, complex Rob Roy.
score: 1