When I read the recipe for the Blood and Sand, I was positive I wouldn’t like it. I’ve never been crazy about Scotch and sweet vermouth cocktails like the Bobby Burns or Rob Roy, and I doubted that the addition of orange juice would sway my opinion favorably, even if it was accompanied by something as delicious as Cherry Heering. If you look at modern menus and recently-published books of classic cocktail recipes, the Blood and Sand is notably absent, which is never a good sign. I braced myself for an aggressively average cocktail at best. I didn’t even go buy oranges for fresh juice; an opened bottle of Tropicana from the fridge seemed good enough for the Blood and Sand.
Imagine my surprise when I took a sip and genuinely enjoyed it. The flavors actually worked together. The Cherry Heering builds a nice bridge from the bright, mildly acidic orange juice to the dark fruits of the sweet vermouth, connecting them in a way that’s missing from orange juice drinks like the Bronx. The result was surprisingly balanced. It was also more fruit-forward than I expected, reminding me – strange as it sounds – of a Tiki cocktail.
I did, however, feel like something was missing. Remembering a Laphroiag event I attended ages ago where the Blood and Sand was served, I added ¼ oz. of peated Scotch into the mix. For me, that’s the magic ingredient, taking it from a cocktail I like to one I will actually make again.
History of the Blood and Sand Cocktail:
I always thought of Scotch cocktails like the Rob Roy and Blood and Sand as 1950’s-era drinks, and they may have been popular at that time, but they’re much older than I thought. The Rob Roy and Bobby Burns are both 19th century recipes, and the Blood and Sand appears in The Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. It was named after the Rudolph Valentino bullfighter film Blood and Sand, based on the novel by Vincente Blasco Ibáñez. It’s an appropriate name for the drink, which contains ingredients the color of blood (sweet vermouth and Cherry Heering) and sand (Scotch and orange juice).
Blood and Sand
¾ oz. Scotch (Dewar’s 12)
¾ oz. sweet vermouth (Carpano Antica Formula)
¾ oz. Cherry Heering
¾ oz. orange juice
¼ oz. peated Scotch (Laphroaig; optional)
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry and/or an orange twist.