The 12 Days of Spirits Day 2: The Return Of An Old Friend

Drambuie 15, $49.99As a rule, I’m a big fan of the ongoing trend of having whisky—by which I mean single malt Scotch—as a digestif at the end of the meal. Served neat it both works like a charm and gives you the opportunity to get into the drink a bit as opposed to having it before dinner when you’re more likely to be rushed and harried and the like. But…sometimes I do crave a little sweetness at the end of the meal, especially if the menu is one of the precious exercises in Nordic spareness. Sure you could go for port, which I often due when I’m looking for a sledgehammer of a hangover. But of late, my go-to in such situations has been to dole out a few ounces of this variation on old friend—the newly updated take on Drambuie. The original spirit—a mix of whisky, honey, herbs and spices—had a hallowed place in the back of every parent’s drink cabinet. It’s still fine, and they’ve even done a slick update to the bottle. But for just a few dollars more you get the new 15 which uses 15 year old speyside malts as it’s base. Think about that for a second—go to the whiskey aisle and try to find me a 15-year old whisky for $50 in this country. Actually, I’ll save you some time: it doesn’t exist. So here, you essentially get Scotch at a discount and the honey and spices for free—what Scot wouldn’t like that deal?I like it neat, but if you want to cut the sweetness a bit mix up a Rusty Nail, which, along with the Stinger, may be the greatest apres dinner cocktail ever. It’s essentially 2 parts Scotch to one part Drambuie, served over ice, garnished with a nice slice of lemon. Slainte indeed.