Mexican Nail
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 31.1% ABV ∙
The Mexican Nail is a stirred, spirit-forward riff on the Rusty Nail, swapping in tequila reposado with a small measure of peated Scotch under honeyed Drambuie. Honeyed and smoky at once, the reposado's agave warmth gives way to a whisper of peat smoke, with a dry, bittered chocolate edge on the finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 45 mlHoney herbal liqueur (e.g., Drambuie) 30 mlPeated single malt whisky 5 mlChocolate bitters 2 dashesChilled water 10 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Express a lime twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass so the stirred pour doesn't lose its temperature before the twist goes on.
- Keep the peated single malt to the small measure given — at more than a few millilitres its smoke overwhelms the honeyed Drambuie.
- Stir over ice just until well-chilled, then strain onto fresh ice so the drink doesn't over-dilute before serving.
History
The Mexican Nail is a tequila-based riff on the Rusty Nail, swapping the base Scotch for reposado tequila while keeping the honeyed Drambuie and adding a touch of peated malt whisky for smoke. No individual bartender or bar is credited with creating it; it appears in modern cocktail guides simply as a Rusty Nail variation built around agave spirit rather than grain whisky.
The Rusty Nail itself traces to 1937, when a Scotch-and-Drambuie mix called the B.I.F. was served at the British Industries Fair. The drink drifted under various names over the next few decades before Drambuie's chairwoman, Gina MacKinnon, fixed its modern name in the 1960s, and it is often associated with New York's 21 Club from that era.
FAQ
What liquor is in a Rusty Nail cocktail?
A classic Rusty Nail is Scotch whisky and Drambuie, a honeyed herbal liqueur made from Scotch, honey, and spices. The Mexican Nail is a variation on that pairing: it swaps the base for tequila reposado, keeps the Drambuie, and adds a small float of peated single malt along with chocolate bitters for depth.
What is whiskey and Drambuie called?
Whisky and Drambuie together are called a Rusty Nail. The Mexican Nail is a related drink that replaces most of the whisky with tequila reposado, keeping just a small amount of peated single malt alongside the Drambuie.
Why is it called a Rusty Nail?
The name is thought to come from the drink's amber color and old bartender lore about stirring early versions with an actual rusty nail before the modern recipe was settled. That origin belongs to the Rusty Nail itself, not to the Mexican Nail, which borrows its name and structure but is a distinct tequila-based drink.
