The drink was created in the 19th century, with ingredients added for nationalistic reasons. It was invented by J. A. Paterson in honor of Robert Burns, the Scottish poet who had died in 1796; it is named after his most famous poem, "Auld Lang Syne", which starts with the line "Should auld acquaintance be forgot."
However, instead of two-to-one proportions, this cocktail uses equal amounts scotch and sweet vermouth, and a half ounce of Benedictine replaces the typical dashes of bitters. This herbal liqueur, like Green Chartreuse, is created using a secret recipe that only a few people know about. What is known is that it contains 27 herbs and spices, with the Benedictine being a key component of the Bobby Burns.
Spirit Used
Whiskey
Ingredients
1 ounce blended Scotch whisky
1 ounce sweet Vermouth
½ ounce Bénédictine
Ice
Lemon peel for garnish
Recipe
1. Chill a cocktail glass.
2. In a mixing glass, combine the Scotch whisky, Vermouth, and Bénédictine.
3. Add ice and stir.
4. Strain into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon peel.
