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Try this Buchanan drink: the Buchanan’s Sour! A whiskey sour with blended Scotch, it tastes sweet tart and peaty on the finish.

Got a bottle of Buchanan’s blended Scotch? Here’s our favorite way to use it in a cocktail: 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. But wait a split second until the finish: it’s smoky and peaty, unlike any whiskey sour you’ve ever tasted! Most Scotch is sipped neat, but this is our favorite way to use it to make an irresistibly interesting drink.
Ingredients in this Buchanan drink
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 1870’s! 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
All you have to do? Shake these ingredients together in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, then strain the drink into a lowball glass. Take a sip and the flavor is delightfully sweet tart, with a hint of peaty smoke on the finish. Too simple? There are two ways to dress up the Buchanan drink if you’d like: keep reading.

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 technique called a dry shake 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? Use clear ice! It’s crystal clear ice that isn’t cloudy like the type that’s 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 Buchanan’s 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 orange, vanilla and caramel, with peat and smoke on the finish. It’s a mid-priced Scotch: a 750 ml bottle costs about $40. You can sip it straight, or mix it into simple whiskey or Scotch cocktails. (See below!)
Other Scotch products from Buchanan’s include Special Reserve 18, Master, and
Red Seal.
More Buchanan drinks
What are some other 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
Buchanan Sour
Try this Buchanan drink: the Buchanan’s Sour! A whiskey sour with blended Scotch, it tastes sweet tart and peaty on the finish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 ounces* Buchanan’s Deluxe Blended Scotch
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- Garnish: Lemon wedge, cocktail cherry
Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
Instructions
- Add the Buchanan’s, lemon juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker. Fill with a handful of ice and shake until very cold.
- Strain the drink into a lowball or Old Fashioned glass. Serve with ice, a lemon wedge and a cocktail cherry.
Notes
*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
Let us know if you have any questions!
Why do the ingredients call for Buchanan, but the numbered steps/instructions call for Jameson? 🤔
Edited: thank you!