Blood & Sand Cocktail

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

A sweetened, tart and full-bodied dram, the Blood & Sand cocktail harkens back to the days of romance and adventure.

When you hear anything about bullfighting and the traditions that surround it, controversy is sure to follow. Tonight’s cocktail, the Blood & Sand, has its origins in the periphery of the historic spectacle, albeit a muddled one. Nobody quite knows who created this robust-tasting tipple, but most can agree that, because of the timing of the cocktail’s appearance on the scene, that it took its name and inspiration from the silent film epic Blood & Sand.

In 1922, legendary film star Rudolph Valentino played a matador torn between his wife and his mistress in the romantic and tragic film. Valentino was an icon of the Silent Era. Women were said to literally faint during his close-ups while watching one of his films. His presence was smoldering, and Blood & Sand was yet another movie that further solidified his reputation as “The Great Lover”. His persona and image were such a phenomenon, that when he died at the young age of 31 years old, the event caused mass hysteria amongst his fans and followers. Suicides were reported, and over 100,000 people lined up to pay their respects at his funeral in New York City, before a cross-country train ride brought his body back to the West Coast. A riot even erupted. His body was finally laid to rest at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, just down the road from me in Los Angeles.

While no one is certain who can claim credit for creating this drink, and when exactly, we do know that the first time it ever appeared in print was in 1930. Harry Craddock’s monumental tome The Savoy Cocktail Book featured the Blood & Sand, introducing a wider audience to its complex charms. Many mixologists feel this is a tipple that is an acquired taste, with a lot going on in every sip. Scotch whisky, sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur and orange juice are all shaken together in equal parts, birthing a cocktail that looks as though blood has indeed mixed with the sands of a bullfighting arena.

And if you’re curious, my feelings on bullfighting mirror Popeye the Sailor’s.

What Is The Best Scotch To Use In A Blood & Sand Cocktail?

You want your Blood & Sand cocktail to be a delectable balance of smoky and soft. The Scotch, along with the cherry liqueur, will lend an aged, smooth darkness to your drink, or “blood” if you will, against the sandy color and citrus notes from the orange juice. While I won’t ever tell you that you need to spend a lot of money on any given bottle of spirit for a quality sip, I will recommend you splash out a little on your Scotch. Johnnie Walker, Macallan, Laphroaig… these are top choices, especially when aged more than ten or twelve years. Scotch can be confusing to a newcomer, what with varieties like single malt, single grain, blended… What do you get? Go with a single malt to start with, or a blended Scotch, which will be a combination of single malt and grain Scotch whiskies.

WHAT GLASSWARE AND GARNISH ARE USED?

Chill a long-stemmed cocktail glass in your freezer until it’s nice and frosty. Once you’ve shaken and poured your drink, garnish the rim with an orange peel.

DO YOU DOUBLE-STRAIN THIS COCKTAIL?

You can, however, bartender Anders Erickson likes to pour his Blood & Sand cocktails with some ice chips, giving the drink some extra texture with a gritty, “sandy” quality.

Similar Cocktails To The Blood & Sand

I would often approach Scotch-based drinks with trepidation. Will the mixture be too intense, flavor-wise? Or will the other ingredients overpower the spirit, leading to a tipple that I struggle to get through? If you find yourself scratching your head with these same quandaries, you’re in luck. Twist & Toast has a fine library of delicious adult beverage recipes, with some of the tastiest being Scotch-based. Try a few of these to start a whole new flavor journey this weekend.

• Scotch and Soda – Simple, bubbly and with a sharp bite, this two-ingredient drink is all you need on a lazy day.
• Penicillin – Two kinds of Scotch adorn this elixir that should cure your workweek ills.
• Bobby Burns – This poetic potion will have you writing romantic verse before the night is through.
• Rob Roy – Blended Scotch brings this long-stemmed sipper to life.