Buchanan Sour

Try the Buchanan’s Sour! This twist on the classic whiskey sour swaps in blended Scotch for a cocktail that’s sweet, tart, and finishes with a touch of smoky peat.

Got a bottle of Buchanan’s blended Scotch? My favorite way to use it in a cocktail is to mix it into a whiskey sour! This Buchanan drink is all about contrasts: it’s crisp and sweet, tart at the beginning of the sip. The best part? It’s smoky and peaty aftertaste. It’s unlike any whiskey sour you’ve ever tasted!

Most Scotch is sipped neat, but this is my favorite way to use it to make an irresistibly interesting drink.

Ingredients to note

The Buchanan Sour is simply a whiskey sour with Buchanan’s Blended Scotch. The whiskey sour is an iconic classic cocktail that goes back centuries: it was first mentioned in a cocktail book in the 1870s! Typically, this cocktail uses a bourbon or rye whiskey, but you can make it with Scotch whisky too! Here’s what you’ll need:

• Buchanan’s Deluxe Blended Scotch
• Lemon juice
• Simple syrup or maple syrup

Shake these ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, then strain the drink into a lowball glass. The flavor is delightfully sweet and tart, with a hint of peaty smoke on the finish. Keep reading for two ways to dress up the Buchanan drink to mix it up a bit.

Add an egg white if desired!

Do you love a classic egg white cocktail? Dress up this Buchanan drink with an egg white foam! It’s a classic way to add a frothy topping and creamy texture to a cocktail. To make it with an egg white, you’ll need to use a dry shake technique, where you shake all ingredients without ice first. Go to Whiskey Sour with Egg White or follow the steps below:

• Shake ingredients without ice. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker except the ice. Shake 15 seconds.
• Add ice and shake! Add the ice and shake 30 seconds. The foam will rise to the top!

Serve with clear ice

This Buchanan drink looks great on its own, but another way to step it up is by using clear ice! It’s crystal clear ice that isn’t cloudy like the kind from an ice tray. Cut it into large, organic shapes that are perfect for any size of drink! Here are two methods for making clear ice:

• Make homemade clear ice. All you need is a small cooler that fits inside your freezer. Go to How to Make Clear Ice.
• Use a clear ice maker. This clear ice maker also works well.

More about this blended Scotch

Buchanan’s is a brand of Scotch whisky that was introduced in 1879. The most popular product is called Buchanan’s Deluxe 12 Blended Scotch, which is aged for 12 years. The flavor has hints of orange, vanilla, and caramel, with peat and smoke on the finish.

It’s a mid-priced Scotch: a 750 ml bottle costs about $40. Sip it straight or mix it into simple whiskey or Scotch cocktails.

Other Scotch products from Buchanan’s include Special Reserve 18, Master’s, and
Red Seal.

More Buchanan drinks

Looking for more great ways to make a Buchanan drink? You can use this blended Scotch in any of these classic Scotch cocktails:

• Try the modern classic Penicillin, with lemon, honey, and ginger
• Go for a Blood and Sand with blood orange juice
• Opt for the Godfather by pairing it with amaretto
• Make a Scotch Manhattan, the Rob Roy Cocktail
• Grab a Rusty Nail, a 1960’s classic with Drambuie

01

Penicillin Cocktail

02

Blood and Sand Cocktail

03

Godfather Cocktail

04

Rob Roy Cocktail

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