Penicillin Cocktail Recipe
Blended Scotch, honey-ginger and lemon with a smoky Islay float.
- Category: New Era Drinks
- Glass: Old fashioned glass
- ABV: 22%
- Difficulty: Hard
- Prep time: ~5 min
Ingredients
- Scotch whisky50 ml (1.7 oz)
- Fresh lemon juice22 ml (0.7 oz)
- Honey-ginger syrup22 ml (0.7 oz)
- Islay single malt (float)7 ml (0.2 oz)
How to Make It
- Shake Scotch, lemon and honey-ginger syrup with ice.
- Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
- Float the Islay malt on top.
- Garnish with candied ginger.
Garnish
Candied ginger
What it tastes like
The citrus acidity leads, there is a spiced warmth to it and smoke dominates the nose.
The technique
Shaking. Anything with juice, syrup, egg white or cream gets shaken: the shaker chills the drink and adds roughly 20% water, and that water is what takes the edge off. Twelve to fifteen seconds, until the tin frosts over. Under-shaking leaves the drink harsh because it never got enough dilution.
Glass and ice
A heavy-bottomed, wide old fashioned glass. Wide enough for one large cube, which is the point: a big cube has less surface area, so the drink gets cold without getting watery.
Ingredient notes and substitutes
- Scotch whisky
- Scotch. Blends are soft and grainy, single malts have more character. Unless the recipe says Islay, picking a smoky bottle will throw the drink out of balance.
- Fresh lemon juice
- Freshly squeezed lemon; one lemon gives 30-40 ml. It can swap with lime, but lemon is softer and less aromatic, so use a touch more.
The Story
Created by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey, New York, in 2005 — a modern classic.
Frequently asked questions
- How is a Penicillin mixed?
- It is shaken and served in an old fashioned glass.
- How strong is a Penicillin?
- Roughly 22% ABV as served — in fortified-wine territory — plan it as a single drink.
- Can a Penicillin be made without alcohol?
- Simply leaving the spirit out does not work — the body and the bitterness go with it. The 86 alcohol-free recipes in the catalogue are built to hit that balance from the start.
- Is a Penicillin hard to make?
- Hard. Either something has to be prepared in advance or a step needs timing; halving the measures on the first attempt is sensible.
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Alcoholic drink recipes are intended for those aged 18 and over. Please drink responsibly.