Peated Blood and Sand
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 17.2% ABV ∙
The Peated Blood and Sand adds peated single malt to the 1920s Scotch sour of blended whisky, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth and orange juice. Smoke curls over sweet dark cherry and orange, the vermouth rounding it into a soft, fruit-sweet finish — a slow-drinking pre- or after-dinner pour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 30 mlCherry liqueur 20 mlRosso vermouth 20 mlPeated single malt whisky 5 mlOrange juice 30 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled coupe glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Use fresh-squeezed orange juice — day-old or from-concentrate juice kills the froth that defines a well-made Blood and Sand.
- Keep the peated malt light — a small pour adds smoke without swamping the cherry and vermouth.
History
The Blood and Sand dates to the 1920s, an equal-parts combination of Scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and orange juice widely tied to the 1922 Rudolph Valentino bullfighting film of the same name. It has long been a divisive classic, but champions remain: bartender TJ Vytlacil built a St. Louis cocktail club named Blood & Sand around it, where, he said in a 2022 interview, it outsold every other drink across the five years he ran the business.
The peated version is a modern variation that layers a measure of smoky single malt over the base — the smoke echoing the "blood and sand" imagery — while keeping the original four-part framework intact.
FAQ
What is in a Peated Blood and Sand?
Blended Scotch whisky, cherry liqueur, rosso (sweet) vermouth, and orange juice, plus a small optional measure of peated single malt whisky for smoke. It is shaken with ice and served up in a coupe, garnished with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry.
What kind of Scotch is best in a Blood and Sand?
A blended Scotch is the traditional base, and a mildly peated whisky works well. To turn it into a Peated Blood and Sand, add a small pour of a smoky single malt — a big peat monster if you want it bold, or just a splash for a subtler smoke.
Is a Blood and Sand shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The orange juice needs vigorous shaking to aerate into the frothy head that marks a well-made Blood and Sand; stirring leaves it flat and cloyingly sweet.
What glass is a Blood and Sand served in?
A coupe glass, served up without ice. This version is garnished with an orange twist and a maraschino cherry to echo the drink's cherry and citrus components.
How is a Peated Blood and Sand different from the classic?
The classic Blood and Sand is an equal-parts mix of Scotch, cherry liqueur, sweet vermouth, and orange juice. The peated version adds a small measure of smoky single malt whisky on top of that framework, pushing the drink toward smoke and depth.
