Mr. Burns
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 29.1% ABV ∙
Mr. Burns is a whiskey-forward take on the Bobby Burns, stirring Speyside single malt with dry vermouth, Bénédictine, Creole bitters and absinthe. Silky and dense on the tongue, with a honeyed warmth that gives way to a faint anise whisper and a long, lingering, citrus-bright finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Speyside single malt Scotch whisky 40 mlDry vermouth 25 mlBénédictine D.O.M. liqueur 10 mlCreole-style bitters 2 dashesAbsinthe 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Pre-chill the coupe before stirring so the drink loses no temperature waiting to be strained.
- Stir over ice until well-chilled, then fine-strain and express the lemon twist over the top last so its oils sit on the surface.
- Add the absinthe as a single dash only — any more and it overwhelms the Bénédictine's honeyed spice.
History
The Mr. Burns is a bartenders' riff on the Bobby Burns, swapping in single malt Scotch for blended and dry vermouth for sweet, so the drink leans drier without the Bénédictine's sweetness stacking on sweet vermouth too. No single creator or dated origin story for the Mr. Burns itself is documented; it circulates among craft bars as a variation, sometimes tied to the Simpsons character Charles Montgomery Burns as a naming joke. The Bobby Burns it descends from is a Scotch, vermouth and Bénédictine cocktail named for the poet Robert Burns, first appearing in print around the turn of the 20th century, though its exact origin is disputed among several claimants and its earliest recipes varied widely before Harry Craddock's Savoy Cocktail Book helped standardize the modern form in 1930.
FAQ
What is a Bobby Burns?
The Bobby Burns is a classic stirred cocktail of Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, and Bénédictine, garnished with a lemon twist and named for the poet Robert Burns. Mr. Burns follows that same base structure but adds Creole-style bitters and a dash of absinthe, giving it more spice and a faint anise edge alongside the whisky and honeyed Bénédictine.
How do you make a Mr. Burns cocktail?
Stir Speyside single malt Scotch, rosso vermouth, Bénédictine, Creole bitters, and a dash of absinthe with ice, then fine-strain into a chilled coupe and express a lemon twist over the top. The build is stirred rather than shaken, keeping the drink clear and silky rather than aerated.
Is a Bobby Burns similar to a Rob Roy?
Yes, both are Scotch-and-vermouth cocktails from the same family. A Rob Roy is simply Scotch, sweet vermouth, and bitters stirred and served up, while a Bobby Burns adds Bénédictine for a honeyed, herbal sweetness; Mr. Burns builds further on that Bobby Burns base with Creole bitters and absinthe.
