The Rob Roy is a cocktail created in 1894 by a bartender at the Waldorf Astoria New York. The drink was named in honor of the premiere of the operetta, Rob Roy by composer Reginald De Koven and lyricist Harry B. Smith loosely based upon Scottish folk hero Robert Roy MacGregor.
If you’d like to see a more accessible story of this historic figure, the 1995 film of the same name starring Liam Neeson and Jessica Lang is worth a rental.
The Rob Roy cocktail is similar to a Manhattan but is made exclusively with Scotch whisky, while the Manhattan is traditionally made with rye or bourbon or Canadian whisky.
Like the Manhattan, the Rob Roy can be made sweet, dry, or perfect. The standard Rob Roy is the sweet version, made with sweet vermouth, so there is no need to specify a sweet Rob Roy when ordering. A dry Rob Roy is made by replacing the sweet vermouth with dry vermouth. A perfect Rob Roy is made with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth.
The Rob Roy is usually served in a cocktail glass and garnished with a lemon twist (for the perfect and dry versions), or maraschino cherry (for the sweet version).
This particular episode was recorded three weeks ago, in preparation for the author’s vacation. While you are hearing this broadcast, I’ll be sitting on a deck chair, next to a quiet lake in the deep woods of Canada, most likely enjoying this beverage – responsibly, of course!
For the Celtic Cultural Alliance, I’m Silagh White. Slainté.