A Better Blood and Sand recipe
A brighter, more balanced take on the Scotch-and-cherry classic with fresh lime.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Sidecar Family
Ingredients
- 1.25 oz Blended Scotch
- 1 oz Sweet Vermouth (a split of a rich and bitter vermouth is ideal)
- 0.75 oz Fresh Orange Juice
- 0.5 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz Cherry Heering
How to make a A Better Blood and Sand
- Chill a coupe glass.
- Add the blended Scotch, sweet vermouth, orange juice, lime juice and Cherry Heering to a shaker with ice.
- Shake well until the shaker is very cold and the orange juice is lightly aerated.
- Strain into the chilled coupe and add an orange peel if desired.
Garnish
Orange peel, optional.
Pro tip
Use freshly squeezed orange juice and a lively lime. The drink works because the lime gives the orange enough acidity to support the Scotch and vermouth.
History of the A Better Blood and Sand
Bartender Adam Robinson’s A Better Blood and Sand adjusts the original equal-parts structure with lime and a smaller portion of Cherry Heering, aiming for a sharper, drier balance.
Flavour profile
Smoky, Bright, Cherry, Citrus
Variations
- Blood and Sand — The 1920s equal-parts Scotch, Cherry Heering, vermouth and orange classic
- Blood and Sand 2.0 — A smoky whiskey, lemon and demerara revision from Pinewood Social
- A Better Blood and Sand — Adds lime and rebalances the vermouth, orange and Cherry Heering
- Ichor and Glass — An all-spirit Blood and Sand riff built with orange-infused Scotch and dry curaçao
- Uncharted Seas — Muddled orange and cherries with a red-wine float
Practise making the A Better Blood and Sand in the free Virtual Bar game.