Blood & Sand

Here’s a Scotch cocktail that’ll really make your blood boil. 

In the world of classic cocktails, Scotch whiskey often gets the short-end of the stick. Sure, there are plenty of great Scotch cocktails out there like the Rob Roy or the Penicillin, but in the “classic” category, bourbon and rye still tend to dominate the brown liquor rankings. However, this drink makes a strong argument for Scotch’s place in the classic cocktail game. 

The Blood & Sand may have quite the dramatic name, but its origin story is decidedly less so. In fact, the exact inventor of the Blood & Sand is unclear. The first printed mention is in the 1930, “The Savoy Cocktail Book” by Harry Craddock. Both the book and the author are known for introducing famous cocktails like the Rattlesnake, Jockey Club, White Lady, and Corpse Reviver #2. Even though Craddock was the first to publish the Blood & Sand, there isn’t any major proof that he created it. 

So, historians might not be sure who to credit, but they do know what to credit. In 1922, a movie called, “Blood and Sand” premiered with an actor named Rudolph Valentino, who was often referred to as, “The Latin Lover.” The movie about a bullfighter apparently wasn’t all that fabulous, yet it still managed to inspire someone to name a Scotch cocktail after it. 

Like so many other cocktail recipes that were left tucked away in early 20th century books, the Blood & Sand’s revival is thanks in part to Dale DeGroff. Known as the “King of Cocktails,” DeGroff is responsible for dusting off several classic cocktails and bringing them back into the modern light. Today, there’s some discussion over the “correct” proportions for a Blood & Sand, but we’ll be sticking to the original and DeGroff approved measurements, thank you very much. 

No matter what proportions you opt for, the Blood & Sand is still one of those cocktails that really shouldn’t work. In addition to Scotch, the drink incorporates sweet vermouth, freshly squeezed orange juice, and cherry liqueur. It’s sweet and puckeringly tart, yet perfectly tempered down and rounded out by the Scotch. It shouldn’t work and yet it does. If you can swing it, try and use Heering as the cherry liqueur, rather than a maraschino cherry liqueur. It brings a punchier flavor and helps you land that signature blood and sand color.