The cocktail notebook · Whiskey
Penicillin
Honeyed lemon and ginger beneath a smoky whisky aroma. A smoky scotch sour made by shake and blend and float and strain.
- Base
- blended Scotch whisky
- Method
- Shake & Blend & Float & Strain
- Glass
- Chilled rocks glass
- Yield
- One drink
Recipe reference: IBA reference recipe. IBA leaves honey syrup ratio and ginger thickness open; house uses 2:1 by mass and three defined slices. Another Islay malt is a substitution, not exact IBA branding.
Penicillin recipe
1 serving · IBA reference recipeMillilitres control this recipe. US fluid ounces are rounded to the nearest quarter ounce for convenience and are not a different recipe ratio. Dashes, spoons, leaves and other non-liquid measures are listed as written.
| Measure | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 60 ml≈ 2 US fl oz | blended Scotch whisky |
| 7.5 ml≈ 0.25 US fl oz | Lagavulin 16-year Islay single malt, floated |
| 22.5 ml≈ 0.75 US fl oz | fresh lemon juice |
| 22.5 ml≈ 0.75 US fl oz | honey syrup, 2:1 honey to water by mass, house choice |
| 3 slices | fresh ginger, approximately 2 mm thick and 2.5 cm across |
Ice: Cubed ice for shaking; fresh serving cubes. Garnish: Candied ginger slice.
Learning bar service? Continue with the Penicillin in module 3 of the free course →
How to make it
- Press ginger slices in the shaker to release juice.
- Add blended Scotch, lemon and honey syrup; reserve the single malt.
- Shake with ice and fine-strain over fresh ice.
- Float 7.5 ml single malt gently over a spoon; add candied ginger.
Why it works: Fine straining removes ginger fibres; the float keeps smoky aroma near the nose.
Common mistakes, useful fixes
Fibrous texture
fine-strain.
Smoke overwhelms
measure the float rather than pouring freely.
Wrong sweetness
standardise the honey syrup.
Serving the guest
What to tell the guest
It is a Scotch sour with honey and ginger, finished with a small smoky whisky float.
Dietary and product checks
Contains honey; not vegan. Check candied ginger, syrup and all packaged ingredients.
Variations
- Another smoky single malt is a disclosed product substitution.
- A combined honey-ginger syrup is a separate method requiring its own calibrated recipe.
Where does the Penicillin come from?
Origin: New York, United States; Sam Ross, 2005. (Creator interview supports attribution and year)
Sam Ross dates his Penicillin to 2005 in a Radio Imbibe interview about his work at Milk & Honey and Attaboy. Its structure makes a useful lesson in aroma: the drink underneath is a Scotch, lemon, honey and ginger sour, while a small smoky whisky float changes the first impression. The medicinal name is playful, not a health claim. Ross also describes teaching cocktail families rather than asking staff to memorise hundreds of disconnected recipes. Learn this one as a sour with an aromatic finishing layer, then explain what each ingredient contributes.
Penicillin questions
Which whisky is reserved for the end?
The 7.5 ml Islay single malt.
Why fine-strain?
To remove ginger fibres.
From a recipe to a repeatable skill
Learn the method behind the order.
Penicillin is a required study in Advanced Cocktails & Refined Bar Service, module 3: Controlled balance and prepared components. Prepare a specified honey–ginger component and control a smoky finishing spirit.
The course is free. An optional paid certificate tests knowledge in an online exam; it is not an observed practical assessment or an accredited bartending qualification.