I first tasted a Blood and Sand cocktail while visiting a favorite restaurant, Hardware. The picture on the menu reminded me of a Manhattan so I thought I’d give it a try. It was delicious, like the dangerous kind of delicious. The kind of cocktail that goes down way too easily. It wasn’t too sweet but it also had no burn. I was hooked.
We debated where the name might have come from. After hours of deliberation, we caved to Google. According to Taste Cocktails, some say the inspiration is from the movie, “Blood and Sand”, a silent film in 1922. However, others credit Harry Craddock whose Savoy cocktail book in 1930 was the first to include the recipe. No matter where it came from, this cocktail is unusual because it involves Scotch whisky. Not a lot of cocktails do.
Most of the recipes don’t call for bitters. My husband takes his cues from my ooohs and ahhhs when I take a sip, so at one point when he was experimenting with the addition of bitters, I apparently really enjoyed the Blood and Sand that evening. So, now it’s a permanent part of our recipe. It’s essential to use freshly squeezed orange juice. It’s really worth the effort. We keep a simple one in the kitchen and it works great.
Blood and Sand
Ingredients
- 3/4-ounce scotch (choose one that isn’t too peated)
- 3/4-ounce sweet vermouth.
- 3/4-ounce Heering cherry liqueur.
- 3/4-ounce orange juice freshly squeezed.
- Dash of orange bitters
- Dash of cherry bitters
- Thin orange peel to garnish
Directions
- Shake this all with 3 to 4 ice cubes then pour into a cocktail glass…remember to double this for two cocktails.
- Garnish with the orange peel.
