Blood and Sand cocktail recipe

This cocktail was inspired by, and named for, the 1922 bullfighter film Blood and Sand. It first appeared in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book and while we admit it's a strange mix of ingredients at first glance, it works very, very well when done right.

Despite the unexpected mix of ingredients, this is seen as one of the classic whisky cocktails. Some people say that even those who haven’t yet learned to love whisky will enjoy this drink. That may be because this is a cocktail that leans on the sweeter side, but don’t let that put you off if you’re also not into sweet cocktails – it has a taste all of its own.

Be sure to give the ingredients a good shake to get this recipe bang on. There should be some serious muscle going into the prep to ensure there's a nice froth when the cocktail is poured out.

As always, play around with the ingredients to see how you might like it best. The choice of Scotch or other type of whisky will impact the flavours, while cherry liqueurs – and how much you use – will also play a role. Get experimental and see where your sweet spot lies.