Back in the Eighties, when big hair and shoulder pads ruled supreme, as did Ronald Reagan in all his numbingly myopic splendor, I tried my first Rusty Nail. My friend Kristen waitressed at The Annex, a local basement haunt that fed and kept mirthful the hoards of Princetonians and townsfolk who hankered for a cheap drink and some cheap eats. Steak Diane was on their menu and it was the best bet, along with your typical strains of Manhattans, Martinis, and Whiskey Sours.

I remember the first sip like it was yesterday. The scotch was fine—like I’ve said, I’ve sipped on scotch before and liked it just up to a point. If that’s all there is, I’ll drink it. But this time it was different. I really took a shine to Drambuie. I found out later what it actually is: a Scottish honey- and herb-flavored liqueur made from aged malt whisky, heather honey, and naturally, a secret blend of herbs and spices. I noted while sipping how it played with the scotch, smoothing out its rough edges.

Rusty Nail
(adapted by Cocktail Buzz)
Ingredients
2 ounces Scotch whisky
1/2 to 1 ounce Drambuie (the peatier the scotch, the more Drambuie)
Method
Stir in ice for 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
Drambuie has changed its bottle! Middle photo shows the new, sleeker design, which fits better on the bar shelf. The old design (bottom), though, is a classic, and will always be, for me, the quintessential.
Photo of Rusty Nail © Steve Schul, Cocktail Buzz