The clash of cutlasses, The smell of gunpowder. Sand shuffles underfoot as two combatants advance and retreat in turn across a bright white beach in the warm Caribbean sun. Suddenly one undercut finds its mark and dark red stains the sand.
The duel on the beach between two sailors over some grievance has captured the imagination of many. Howard Pyle painted more than one representation and look no further than season three of Black Sails for a very high profile engagement.
This is my premise for including blood and sand, a classic scotch drink from the early 20th century, with our pirate-themed drinks. The drink was originally inspired by the eponymous film from 1922 about a spanish bull fighter (and remade twice). It’s fairly simple to put together, all parts being equal, and is downright tasty.
Ingredients
- 3/4 oz Scotch whiskey
- 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
- 3/4 oz cherry brandy or cherry liqueur
- 3/4 oz orange juice
Directions
- Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice, shake, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Note that I adapted this recipe to a Collins glass, requiring the recipe to be tripled. Be warned, this is a pretty strong drink to fill a tall glass with.
- Garnish with an orange peel
