‘Sugar… Oh, honey honey…’ As far as we’re concerned, The Archies could very well be singing about just how sweet a dash of honey can be in any classic cocktail. Next on our playlist? We’re glad you asked. “Siri, play ‘Smoke on the Water’”, and with some help from Deep Purple, we’ve set the scene for this sweet and smoky cocktail concoction: the Penicillin.
A homage to classic cocktails like the Whiskey Sour, Hot Toddy and Gold Rush, Australian bartender Sam Ross fashioned the Penicillin in the early 2000s at New York’s pioneering mixology bar Milk & Honey. Elevating the time-honoured ingredients of ginger, lemon and honey, Sam skipped the bourbon, opting instead for a blended Scotch, flipping the switch with his modern smoky take.
Sitting atop all that syrupy sweetness and zesty lemon, the pivot to peaty Scotch is the masterstroke in this delicious drink. The piece de resistance, if you will. The balance of smokiness from the Scotch float adds a wave of aromatics from the outset; each sip reveals a captivating medley of sour, bitter and sweet.
A formidable spirit in its own right, Scotch isn’t seen in cocktails as often as its generally tamer counterparts – its smokiness can be a wee bit intense. Yet that’s precisely why the Penicillin is a force to be reckoned with, and why you should add it to your cocktail repertoire.
