Drambuie is a unique blend of aged scotch whiskey, spices, and heather honey, to quote directly from their bottle.
What do I say?
Drambuie is decidedly wonderful and I looooooove it.
A bit about me to get straight before I dive into a post about loving liquor…
I’m not a big drinker and hardly a hard liquor fan. I like the taste of wine, but I don’t indulge much because it doesn’t make me feel well. I immediately get tired, foggy, and icky feeling. I’ve never been one to drink hard alcohols either. That is until now. Drambuie is in the house, and will always be in my house. Wonderful Drambuie with its lightly sweet and herbaceous notes that linger in the mouth long after it has been swallowed.
Drambuie is delicious. Drambuie is also fun to sip. (If you haven’t tried it… you must.)
In fact, I find myself wanting it more than I should. It’s warming and rich, and I can’t help but feel like Claire in Outlander, when she talks of scottish whiskey’s wonderfulness, as she rides a horse in the cold rainy weather of Scotland in the 1700s. Outlander is one of the best book series. Ever.
And, now it’s a TV series. See? I told you it was good. Go read it after you finish this blog post. You can get the first book on Amazon – they’re super thick though, so go for the Kindle version.
Here’s the history of Drambuie’s famous recipe, according to Drambuie’s website...
The story of Drambuie begins over 267 years ago in July 1746. Prince Charles Edward Stuart (known also as Bonnie Prince Charlie) was on the run, after defeat at the Battle of Culloden had ended his hopes of restoring the Stuarts to the throne of Great Britain.
The Prince was pursued by the King’s men across the Highlands and Islands of Western Scotland, bravely aided by many Highland Clans. Among them was Clan MacKinnon whose chief, John MacKinnon, helped the Prince escape from The Isle of Skye. In thanks for his bravery the Prince gave John MacKinnon the secret recipe to his personal liqueur, a gift that the Clan were to treasure down the generations. An extraordinary elixir that would, many years later, become known to the world as Drambuie.
I couldn’t have said it better myself… “an extraordinary elixir.” And, I’ll bet Claire WAS drinking Drambuie!
So, how did I ever come to hear about Drambuie? I think it’s kind of an interesting story actually. I learned about it from a book, A Soothing Broth book (which I learned about in Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Broth book).
I bought mine used on Amazon.com because I couldn’t find any new options. It arrived in great condition and I read it quickly like a little novel. So interesting and fun to take a little trip though history to learn about nourishing foods in days past.
According to Amazon.com (about the book),
“Good things do indeed come in small packages. Pat Willard’s A Soothing Broth is a book barely bigger than a saucer, but it overflows with recipes, personal stories, and a fascinating look at what used to be called “invalid cooking.” Willard became intrigued with healing foods while nursing her critically ill husband. Searching for something more fulfilling than canned soup and saltine crackers, she looked to the works of Florence Nightingale, medical doctors, and housewives of the 19th century. Here she found recipes both quaint and useful, plus helpful advice on caring for the ill.”
Both my husband and I love Drambuie. We made the tradition to drink some each time we watch Outlander, and many other times.
Cheers.