- 60 ml blended Scotch like Famous Grouse,
- 25 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 25 ml honey-ginger syrup
- 1 serious glug of Laphroaig 10 Year, or other Islay Scotch
Shake all, but the Islay, with ice then finely strain into an Old Fashioned glass with a couple of cubes of ice. Float the Islay scotch on top by pouring it gently over the back of a spoon. Garnish with candied ginger, lemon peel, or both.
To make the Penicillin, you’ll first have to make a honey-ginger syrup. Add 120 ml honey, 120 ml water, and thumb-sized ginger root to a pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, then allow to cool. Strain and store in the fridge.
In essence, a sort of classy Whisky Sour, it was created by Sam Ross, at Milk & Honey, NYC, in the early 2000s. The game changer, beyond the honey, was to float a slug of smoky Islay whisky on the top, exuding peaty aromas before the drinker has even got their lips to the glass.