Deansgate Cocktail

A fairly anonymous creation which is known mainly as a traditional Scottish drink, the Deansgate is most likely named after the area of Deansgate in Manchester, England, which was once a very important trading center in the region.

[Update, January 31st, 2011: While it is absent from the 1934 edition of "Approved Drinks authorized by the United Kingdom Bartender's Guild", the "Deansgate" shows up in the 1937 edition that was published as the "Cafe Royal Cocktail Book", and the recipe calls for "Rose's Lime Juice".

Here, it is attributed to one "J.E. (Ted) Player". What's not clear, is if the recipe was created by "Ted", or if the Rose's lime was his twist on an older, traditional recipe.

Here's how the 1937 recipe appeared:

Anyone have any further info on this one supporting it's existence prior to 1937? Would love to hear!]

The Deansgate is basically a "Drambuie sour", with the Drambuie's honey providing all the sweet and it's herbs providing the extra "je ne sais quoi". Seriously...if you put this drink in front of me and asked me to name the ingredients I would be hard pressed to find the Drambuie.

It's as if Drambuie was a concentrate, and the rum and lime juice dilute it to the point of perfect balance, making the normally thick and even unctuous Drambuie, into an ethereal pleasure. The honey is sweet but not cloying, the scotch very mild if describable at all, and the herbs bring a light, floral playfulness into the normally crisp,dry...even sterile world of the light daiquiri.

The traditional recipe goes "One measure of Drambuie, one measure of lime juice and two measures of white rum."

So in other words...

The Deansgate


1.5 ounces (45 ml) light rum (like Havana blanco or El Dorado 3)
3/4 ounce (22 ml) Drambuie
3/4 ounce (22 ml) lime juice


Shake with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.