🥃 Penicillin
Penicillin is a modern classic cocktail of blended Scotch, lemon and honey-ginger syrup with a smoky Islay whisky float on top; created by Sam Ross in New York in 2005.
Penicillin is the cocktail that brought honey and ginger to the Scotch bar: blended Scotch whisky, fresh lemon juice and honey-ginger syrup, topped with a smoky Islay whisky float. It was invented by the Australian Sam Ross in 2005 at the New York bar Milk & Honey, and the International Bartenders Association (IBA) lists it in the “New Era” category.
Recipe. The IBA method: press a few slices of fresh ginger in a shaker, add 60 ml of blended Scotch, 22.5 ml of lemon juice and 22.5 ml of honey syrup, shake with ice and strain into a glass with ice. Then pour 7.5 ml of Islay single malt over the top; the IBA names Lagavulin 16. Garnish with candied ginger.
Origin. According to Punch, Ross had moved to the United States from Melbourne only a year earlier. He built the drink as a variation on the Gold Rush, splitting the sweetening between honey and fresh ginger juice. The name is a joke: honey, ginger and lemon are a folk remedy for colds. The cocktail itself has no healing properties.
Taste. Blended whisky gives a soft base, honey and ginger bring sweetness and heat, and lemon adds sourness. The Islay float contributes a peaty, smoky aroma. According to Difford's Guide, Ross's own 2009 version replaced the syrup with a ginger liqueur.
Why it matters to you. Ginger and honey create a feeling of warmth, but the alcohol in the glass does not go away, and alcohol does not cure a cold. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 2005, Milk & Honey, New York (Sam Ross) |
|---|---|
| Raw material | blended Scotch (60 ml per IBA), lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger, Islay whisky |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Penicillin → kind of → 🥃 Whisky → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Blended Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Islay whisky, 🥃 Lagavulin
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Scotch Whisky, 🥃 Whisky
Frequently asked questions
What goes into a Penicillin cocktail?
Per the IBA: 60 ml blended Scotch, 22.5 ml lemon juice, 22.5 ml honey syrup, fresh ginger, and 7.5 ml of smoky Islay single malt floated on top.
Who invented the Penicillin cocktail and when?
Sam Ross, in 2005, at the New York bar Milk & Honey, according to Difford's Guide and Punch.
Does a Penicillin cocktail help against a cold?
No. The name is a joke, since honey, ginger and lemon are known as folk remedies. The drink contains alcohol and has no healing properties.
Why is Islay whisky floated on top of a Penicillin?
It adds a smoky, peaty aroma over the soft blended whisky. It is not mixed in but poured on the surface.
Is the Penicillin an IBA official cocktail?
Yes. The IBA places it in the “New Era” category.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Drunk driving — Never drive after drinking wine: alcohol slows your reactions.
Similar
🥃 Rusty Nail · 🥃 Old Fashioned · 🥃 Gin Basil Smash · 🥃 Paradise · 🥃 Pisco Sour · 🥃 Dark 'n' Stormy
Sources
- IBA — International Bartenders Association: Penicillin (New Era; 60 ml blended scotch, 7.5 ml Lagavulin 16-year, 22.5 ml fresh lemon juice, 22.5 ml honey syrup, ginger; Islay single malt floated on top)
- Difford's Guide: Penicillin cocktail — adapted from Sam Ross's 2005 recipe at Milk & Honey, New York; honey-ginger syrup, Islay whisky on top
- Punch: Penicillin modern classic cocktail recipe (Sam Ross at Milk & Honey, honey-ginger syrup, Islay single-malt float)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)