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Bobby Burns (Difford's own)
This recipe combines elements from the world's most respected writers of vintage recipes – the base formula comes from Harry Craddock's 1930 The Savoy...
Bocman
26th November 2025 at 14:01
For me, vermouth dominates everything else, but I really liked it ❤️
9th May 2025 at 14:46
Accidentally swapped the Benedictine for grand marnier (those bottles are irresponsibly similar), presumably making a Grand Bobby. Not sure what the bard would make o’ that. Less herbal of course, and richer. Obviously I will now have to make a regular one to remind myself what it’s ‘supposed’ to taste like 😉😂
9th May 2025 at 15:32
Further, in the absence of a richer vermouth, added half Punt e Mes to half Dolin rouge for a Black Bobby. Intense VERY late night sipping.
30th March 2025 at 23:24
Made again, using GlenDronach 12, and PX sherry in lieu of vermouth to match the Scotch's character. I also followed the suggestions of other posters below, and split the Benedictine with Drambuie. It still read as a Bobby Burns, but with enough to distinguish it and keep things interesting. I have to say I'm particularly happy with the PX switch.
28th March 2025 at 18:49
Choice of ingredients is important here. Made this previously with glenfiddich 12 yrs + martini rosso. Thought it was really good, smooth and easy drinking. Tonight I have Glenlivet founder’s reserve + carpano antica formula. Blows my mind. Complex and delicious. And a completely different drink. This can be so much fun pairing different scotch and vermouth. Endless opportunities!
11th February 2025 at 00:03
This is one of my favorites, and the shortbread garnish is genius! But tonight I didn't have any shortbread, so I decided to experiment with an orange peel twist, and compare recipes where Cointreau or Drambuie were substituted for the Benedictine. Winner: Drambuie. Cointreau was a little too sweet.
27th February 2025 at 12:12
I like Bruce Wilson’s suggestion below of half/half Drambuie and Benedictine, which I’m just trying, otherwise I think I agree with giving the prize to Drambuie.
24th January 2025 at 21:18
My version of this tonight is a bit of a mashup of what was available…
Aberlour 14yo
Talisker Skye (a dash for some smokiness)
Carpano Antica Formula
Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino
(about 1:1 of the vermouths)
Drambuie
Benedictine
(also about 1:1 of the liqueurs)
Peychauds — dash
I love a good Manhattan but there’s a complexity of flavours to this that makes it just a little bit different — and very enjoyable!
Aberlour 14yo
Talisker Skye (a dash for some smokiness)
Carpano Antica Formula
Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino
(about 1:1 of the vermouths)
Drambuie
Benedictine
(also about 1:1 of the liqueurs)
Peychauds — dash
I love a good Manhattan but there’s a complexity of flavours to this that makes it just a little bit different — and very enjoyable!
28th March 2025 at 14:21
Did a side by side comparison of Cocchi vermouth di Torino and carpano, preferred the latter, tho matching to the scotch will also be a consideration. I used Glenmorangie. Delicious!
12th January 2025 at 01:50
Well it’s almost Burns night so why not? Used Glennfiddich, noilly prat red, subd drabuie for Benedictine, with dashes of absinthe and peychauds bitters. A very complex concoction! I like it. Go light on absinthe. It’s actually hard to locate Benedictine in No California, the search continues…..
21st January 2025 at 14:27
Yes, loved glenfiddich here! The intense sweetness and caramelised/bitter flavours with the peychauds and fresh citrus aromatics play off each other so nicely!
4th January 2025 at 14:40
A wonderful, rich and flavoursome sipper for the 11th day of Christmas, and somewhat in anticipation of Burns Nicht. Plenty of options available with this one, blended scotch to taste, or single malt. I tried moderately Smokey bowmore with carpano for vermouth, and speyside plus Cocchi vermouth di Torino. Preferred the latter but probably more to do with current mood. Some leftover Danish butter cookies from Christmas provided a happy garnishment.
3rd January 2025 at 18:44
Made per spec, with Monkey Shoulder, Cocchi di Torino and La Clandestine.
This is an excellent drink, coming quite close to being a Scotch-based version of a La Louisiane. If you enjoy a La Louisiane (I do) and you also like scotch (I do), you will certainly enjoy this drink.
This is an excellent drink, coming quite close to being a Scotch-based version of a La Louisiane. If you enjoy a La Louisiane (I do) and you also like scotch (I do), you will certainly enjoy this drink.
31st December 2024 at 19:54
I put in an extra dash of orange bitters, just because at Christmas. Delicious!
3rd December 2024 at 15:22
This recipe is very similar to the one for the “Tale of Two Roberts” cocktail credited to Frank Caiafa of the Waldof-Astoria by Philip Greene in his excellent 2016 book *The Manhattan (The Story of the First Modern Cocktail)* [Sterling Publishing, 2016]:
2 oz Scotch
1 oz sweet vermouth
1/4 oz Bénédictine
2 dashes absinthe
Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, lemon peel garnish.
It’s one of my very favorite libations (although I substitute 1 tsp Pernod for the absinth)
2 oz Scotch
1 oz sweet vermouth
1/4 oz Bénédictine
2 dashes absinthe
Stir with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, lemon peel garnish.
It’s one of my very favorite libations (although I substitute 1 tsp Pernod for the absinth)
1st December 2024 at 01:37
This is one of the greatest cocktails ever IMHO and this version is surely a shining example of it.
30th November 2024 at 14:35
We loved this. Sweet, but so is a good muscadelle or sauternes. The trick is to enjoy it with a goat's cheese, kalamata olives and farmhouse bread.
31st December 2024 at 23:27
Not having read your comment, just as I was mixing this drink to bring in the New Year as one of Difford's suggested cocktails of the day, my wife by fluke put out some Époisses and Délice de Bourgogne cheese and some feta stuffed olives left over from an extended familyXMAS dinner. Notwithstanding both are made with cows milk and not goat, you are correct, it makes a brilliant pairing! (Idea: Not that Simon and web team don't have enough on their platter, but a food pairing suggestion with each cocktail would be very cool! If it's good enough for the wine geeks of which I consider myself one, why not cocktail pairings!)
30th November 2024 at 12:40
Did add one drop of saline and a straight dash single malt as finding it a little sweet for my palate, but had a rather salty dinner out, so could be biased by that. Overall excellent and loved the Peychaud’s here.
30th November 2024 at 03:13
Excellent cocktail. I used Carpano, which gave it that inevitable “cherry tootsie pop” taste… which is not bad, but I’m glad I increased the scotch to 1.5.
11th November 2024 at 02:37
Really great drink. I used 1 Oz Monkey Shoulder and 1/4 Ardbeg for just that extra smoky oomph, and it worked quite nicely. Very well balanced, with just enough from the Benedictine to provide depth without making it an herbal drink.
26th October 2024 at 16:34
I only have a 12 year old Balvenie for Scotch and it almost made this cocktail a bit too smooth. I wonder how it'll taste with rye bourbon.
30th November 2024 at 12:37
Was saving my precious balvenie 12 (a birthday present) but did an extra splash of it to the monkey shoulder (which it contains) for the more pure single malt hit. Which did not disappoint of course
11th July 2024 at 21:43
Ok, THIS is now my Friday afternoon drink!
19th August 2023 at 12:33
I wish to know which is the real pronunciation of the cocktail; it s Baby Burns or Bobby Burns?
Since the first recipe comes from the fancy drinks book book 1902 as Baby Burns.
Since the first recipe comes from the fancy drinks book book 1902 as Baby Burns.
19th August 2023 at 13:11
Hi Pier. Please click on "Bobby Burns cocktail history above" for more info.
7th July 2023 at 22:52
I found it a little too sweet at 1:1 Scotch to vermouth. Dialed back to 1 Scotch to 2/3 vermouth and it was lovely.
4th April 2024 at 00:48
I agree - this presented as a bit too vermouth forward, which dominated the scotch in my case.
4th June 2023 at 18:52
Loving the Sazerac vibe, well balanced for me, and looking forward to experimenting with different single malts over Summer ?
29th January 2023 at 10:49
Excellent. Followed the recipe to a tee, and most importantly - didn't skip the shortbread!
25th July 2022 at 21:15
This great cocktail is much softer and less herbaceous than I thought before. I used Ballantines and really missed the slightly smoky flavor of Teachers. The key seems to be the lemon zest twist, maybe I would use more Absinthe the next time.
30th November 2024 at 12:41
Agreed, the lemon zest is important
17th July 2022 at 21:47
I normally drink my scotch on the rocks, but wanted to try something new, I substituted Jäegermeister for the Benedictine DOM. It was a very tasty cocktail. I need to pick up some Benedictine to add to my home bar.
26th January 2022 at 16:35
This is a GREAT Scotch cocktail.. I made a side by side comparison with the Craddock version.. Both are good but the Absinthe and Bitters gives this more complexity.
25th January 2022 at 19:13
Made a half-size serving with Dewar's White Label, Antica Torino, 3 spritz of Absinthe... A bit sweeter than I'd expected, so I'd personally reduce the Benedictine to 10 ml, maybe up the Scotch to 45 ml... Otherwise, it's a mad flavorful recipe!
12th September 2021 at 01:54
Delicious. Used 1.5 oz scotch
8th August 2021 at 17:51
Upping Scotch a bit, using Lillet rouge as the Vermouth and replacing Absinthe with Kirschwasser gave a perfect drink.
3rd March 2023 at 20:01
Thank you for that suggestion. Yes, the Kirsch does work very well in the absence of Absinthe, as does a ratio of 40:30:10 with Punt e Mes.
28th April 2021 at 20:23
Delightful. Used tools at hand- Johnny Walker Black, St George absinthe, and left the twist in- made it just right for me.
26th April 2021 at 23:42
Superb. Great mix of flavours. We used little more Absinthe. Perfect for an aperitif.