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Rob Roy... or is it?

Ok, I have a connudrum. I love scotch, and one day while at a restaurant my wife and I frequent, I decided to try a rob roy.

The bartender (younger) had never made one, so he took out his book and followed the recipe. Bascially it was:

2 parts scotch 1 part sweet vermuth dash of bitters

He asked if I wanted the cherry garnish, and since I don't care for them, I asked for olives instead.

Needless to say, i was hooked for life... this was the best drink I had ever had.

Now for the problem. We frequent another restaurant... so, I ordered "rob roy, olives instead of cherries".

I got it and it was terrible (well, good, but terrible compared to the previous restaurant's).

I asked the bartender how he made it.. he said:

2 part scotch 1 part vermuth (he didn't say sweet or dry, and I forgot to ask) cherry juice

I told him the recipe from the previous place. He looked at me like I was nuts and said "really.. most people use cherry juice instead of bitters these days, but I'm happy to make it how you like it.."

So he made one with the other recipe. I think he added as much bitters as he does cherry juice.. which lead me to believe that he wasn't probably the best bartender... you'd think any bartender even familiar with bitters would know not to add more than a couple drops.

So, I don't know if it was better than his first (way too many bitters, but I had a cold so it was nice), but nothing has topped the one at the first restaurant. (I had one, ok three, in vegas that came close once).

So I want to know, am I ordering the wrong drink? Do recipes just vary that much that I should specify how I like it made? Is substituting olives for cherries "out of the norm" or maybe a different drink entirely?

Thanks for any help... :)

Reply to
Bradley V. Stone
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Hi Bradley. Sounds exciting.

One question. What is "bitters" ?

Steffen

Reply to
Steffen Bräuner
Reply to
Bradley V. Stone
Reply to
Steffen Bräuner

I believe what you really want are the same Angostura Bitters that are sometimes used in a Manhattan cocktail (3 parts whiskey to 1-2 parts red Vermouth, and a dash of Angostura Bitters).

chuck

Reply to
chuck

Yup, that's right.

Now, what if someone made your manhatten with whiskey, vermouth, and cherry juice. :) Wouldn't that just tork ya off?

Then what if you told them to use bitters instead of cherry juice, and they put about a teaspoon in (as much bitters and they normally put cherry juice). Wouldn't that be wonderful?

That's what I'm dealing with at this restaurant and my rob roys.. :(

My brother (a bartender) said to ask him how he makes any of the following:

Rob Roy Rob Roy smooth Manhattan

Then just find out which is closest, and substitute where necessary. I have a feeling it's not that easy with this joker.. LOL! I'll just drink beer there from now on.

Reply to
Bradley V. Stone

What you originally got was a "Sweet" Rob Roy". Also my favorite mixed drinks. However, I usually have it "straight up" ( in a chilled martini glass and mixed over ice and strained into the glass) I also use: a 3 to 1 mix, no bitters, a cherry, and about a teaspoon of cherry juice.

With dry vermouth you have a "Rob Roy", the traditional drink (although I think that a twist of lemon instead of the olive is traditional).

Often when I have this drink which is usually just before I sit down to dinner, I am sure to state I want a "Sweet Rob Roy, straight up". As often as not I get the "Rob Roy and not the Sweet version. I do send it back because like you found they are totally different drinks and like you I don't like it. I think the good bar tenders know the difference the rookies don't and often can't make the connection that there is a difference and a major one at that.

Enjoy in the future, just be careful because three of these things is too powerful for me to have and drive. If I have three my wife knows that she gets control of the keys.

Dave

Reply to
DaveS

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