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barinacraft · 6 years

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Whisky Mac / MacDonald Cocktails

A Great British Drink

The Whisky Mac, short for Whisky MacDonald, is a classic cocktail made with Scotch whisky and green ginger wine. Half 'n' half is customary, but ratios of 3 to 2 or slightly higher have become the modern standard.*

Behind The Bar - How To Make A Whisky Mac At Home

Whisky Mac Drink Recipe:

1 ½ oz blended Scotch whisky

1 oz green ginger wine

Add both ingredients to a glass and stir together without ice. This drink is meant to be a warmer. In fact, depending on the weather, some add a wee bit of boiling water much like a Hot Toddy does.

The MacDonald Cocktail / Whisky Mac History

A Golfer's Favourite

Certainly in chilly weather Scotland anyway, where the Whisky Mac is a staple at golf clubs throughout the country, famous and otherwise. For example, after professional golfers were first allowed use of the clubhouse in 1946,

Participants in the 1950 British Amateur were given free run of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews and were warmed with sincere hospitality and an occasional Whisky Mac-Donald (whisky and ginger wine).†

This makes the Whisky Mac perfect as a British Open golf themed drink.

Charles Blair MacDonald

Armed with this knowledge, you might be inclined to think that the Whiskey Mac's namesake was World Golf Hall of Fame member Charles Blair MacDonald. After all, he was born in 1855 to a Scottish father, went to St. Andrews University, was tutored by Old Tom Morris and competed against Young Tom Morris back in the day.‡

His accomplishments include helping to found the United States Golf Association (USGA), winning the first U.S. Amateur Championship and building the first 18 hole golf course in the United States. Being considered the father of American golf course architecture certainly sounds deserving of a signature drink and (as you'll find out later in this article) that may well be the case. However, another source claims otherwise. So...

Who Is The Whisky Mac Named After?

According to Crabbie's, one of the oldest producers of green ginger wine in Scotland, the Whisky Mac was named after then Brigadier-General Hector MacDonald during the British Raj of the Indian subcontinent (where ‘rāj’ means ‘rule’ in Hindustani).1 Colonel MacDonald was seconded to command the Sirhind district in the Punjab Province in October 1899, which happened to be one of the sources of the sixth cholera pandemic (1899–1923) which spread to Europe via Afghanistan, Persia and southern Russia as well.2

Early treatments for cholera included laudanum and calomel as well as camphor and ginger with the latter two both having had extended use as Bengallee medicines and were very popular as local remedies.3 Legend has it that the General mixed green ginger wine with whisky as a means to help ease symptoms of those suffering from the cholera disease where he was stationed.

MacDonald's Drink Ingredient Inspiration?

Along with its storied medicinal properties, ginger also had a long history as a flavoring in alcoholic drinks. There were countless recipes available at the time for rum & ginger, ginger beer, ginger brandy, ginger gin and of course ginger wine, which dates back to at least 1740 London and the Finsbury Distillery Company's brand called Stone's ginger wine named after grocer Joseph Stone who was an important customer.4

By comparison, ginger and whisky combinations were few and far between. One early example is Robert Burns favourite recipe for a hunting flask (so pre 1796) which included whisky, lemon rinds, bruised ginger, ripe white currants and powdered loaf sugar.5 However, true liquid inspiration for what would become the Whisky MacDonald may have come in 1882 from humor magazine Puck when reader Freddy W. wanted to know a cure for sour apple cholera.6

Take a little Jamaica ginger7 and about half a hand of rye whiskey. Mix the two pretty well and pour them down. Five minutes later take a little Jamaica ginger and about half a hand of rye whiskey. Mix the two pretty well and pour them down. Then you will feel better; but, if you think you are not thoroughly cured, take a little Jamaica ginger and about half a hand - well, that is the way to cure sour apple cholera.

Additional cocktails previously recommended in connection with other cholera treatments at the time included Brandy Mint Juleps, Hot Toddys and Fernet-Branca.8,9

First Published

Its popularity in England prompted inclusion in an American cookbook in 1900 which appears to be its print debut.10 The MacDonald Cocktail which later became the Whisky MacDonald a.k.a Whisky Mac was originally listed simply as being made with one-half ginger wine and one-half Scotch whisky. No specific type of wine or whisky (i.e green or blended for example) was actually specified.

It was noted that although ginger wine was little used in the U.S. at the time, it was readily available at export houses and that Crabbie's was a popular brand on the other side of the pond.

The MacDonald / Whisky Mac Recipe Iterations

Looks like there may have been a long lapse in print visibility, but this style of The MacDonald cocktail (see below for others) reëmerges, becoming the Whisky Mac to differentiate itself as brandy and rum versions are also introduced along the way. Rye whiskey replaces Scotch whisky in a couple drink formulas as well. Here's the original MacDonald recipe's early historical milestones and timeline.

1920s - Fifty-fifty Stone's Ginger Wine and Whisky (voted the drink of drinks by thousands of golfers)11

1930 - ½ Sandy MacDonald whiskey + ½ ginger wine12

1933 - 1 part Scotch malt whisky and 1 part ginger wine.13

1934 - ½ ginger wine + ½ rye whiskey14

1934 - ½ jigger whisky or brandy + ½ jigger ginger wine15

1948 - 1 measure rum + 1 measure ginger cordial16

So, What's The Rub?

Although they cited cold weather was coming,10 - suggesting the book was released later in 1900, even a December print date with a last minute edit only allows just over a year to go from being created in India, to becoming popular in England, to having the word spread to America, etc.2 THAT'S MORE THAN HALFWAY AROUND THE WORLD! Way back when?

Even though there was limited telegraph and telephone service available at the time, this was BEFORE the internet, television and even radio. While it's certainly possible, when you consider all those factors, that time frame seems too short to be realistic.

Alternate theory: Sandy MacDonald was an old Scotch whisky blend from 1840 Edinburgh and Stone's reported an increase in ginger wine sales after the 1832 cholera outbreak.17 Could these two have paired up much earlier than their 1930 listing, say during the third, fourth or fifth pandemic, w/ Sandy Mac being the true namesake and the combo predating 1899?18,19

You'll have to decide. However, as always, when and if further research suggests otherwise, we'll update our findings. Cheers!

Old MacDonald Had A Farm

E-I-E-I-O.

And on his farm he had some drinks,

E-I-E-I-O.

With a MacDonald drink here,

And a MacDonald drink there,

Here a drink, there a drink,

Everywhere a drink-drink.

OK, enough already. As you've probably guessed, there are lots of other Mickey D cocktails. Here's what the genealogical records show in the Mac family tree of mixology so far, oldest to youngest:

Kindred Spirits

Little Mac - lemon juice, bitters, syrup, Tom gin and fizz.

Mac Donalds Cocktail No. 1 - whiskey, Torino vermouth, curacao and Angostura bitters.

Mac Donalds Cocktail No. 2 - Scotch whisky, Italian vermouth, gum syrup, Angostura bitters and Chartreuse.

Sandy MacDonald Drink - rye whiskey, orange & angostura bitters, granulated sugar and twisted lemon peel.

OH! OH! MAC - brandy, Kina Lillet, Cointreau and lemon.

Johnnie Mack - sloe gin, curacao and absinthe.

Mac-Donald Cocktail - rye whiskey, Benedictine, Secco vermouth and Angostura bitters.

Jock MacDonald Drink - rye whiskey, Lillet, lemon juice and apricot brandy.

Flora MacDonald - ??? (1937 Cafe Royal note: obtain from UK Bartender's Guild post free)

Cocktails Similar To The Whisky Mac

Bishop's Cocktail - Stone's green ginger wine and gin.

Commonweal Cocktail - blended Scotch, ginger wine, lemon juice and maraschino liqueur.

Danny's Delight - Angostura bitters, ginger wine, Irish whiskey, lemonade and sweet vermouth.

Dark and Staurmy - ginger wine, soda water and spiced rum liqueur.

Empire Glory - Canadian Club whiskey, ginger wine, grenadine and lemon juice.

Fireside Shot - Benedictine, dark rum and ginger wine.

Gin-Gin / Gingerbury Cocktail - gin, ginger wine and Angostura bitters.

Grenadier - brandy, ginger wine and grenadine.

J.B.'s - orange bitters, curacao, ginger brandy, green ginger wine and french vermouth w/ a squeeze of lemon.

Rosy Rapture - a Whisky Mac w/ Angostura bitters.

Sticks and Stone's - green ginger wine and vodka.

West Indian Ginger Swizzle - Angostura bitters, ginger wine and rum.

Related Drinks

Astringent - Jamaica ginger, port wine and brandy

Cholera Cocktail - brandy, blackberry and cherry brandies, Jamaica ginger and port wine.

Penicillin - blended Scotch whisky, lemon juice, honey syrup, muddled fresh ginger and Islay single malt Scotch.

More cocktails that begin with the letter ‘W.’

References

* - "Whisky Mac." Difford's Guide. Web. 10 July 2018.

† - Wind, Herbert Warren. The Gilded Age of Sport: 1945–1960 (New York City: Simon and Schuster, 1961). Print.

‡ - Charles B. MacDonald. Retrieved July 15, 2018.

1 - "Crabbie’s Green Ginger and Freemasonry." Lodge Stirling Royal Arch No.76 lectures page. Web. 12 July 2018.

2 - The London Gazette 21 June, 1901. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27325/page/4186

3 - Harrison, M. "A Dreadful Scourge: Cholera in Early Nineteenth-Century India" Modern Asian Studies

4 - "Our History - Finsbury Distillery" Stone's Original Green Ginger Wine Web. 11 July 2018.

5 - Cups and Their Customs (London: John Van Voorst, 1863), 50. Print.

6 - Agricultural Editor. "Our Agriculture." Puck. May 3, 1882. Print.

7 - Jamaica ginger extract, a.k.a Jake, contained between 70 and 80% grain alcohol. This was well before Prohibition, so there was no tri-ortho cresyl phosphate (TOCP) being used as an additive yet which caused tens of thousands of people in 1930 to lose muscle control and be the subject of songs like "Jake Walk Papa" by Asa Martin, "Jake Leg Blues" by the Mississippi Sheiks, "Alcohol and Jake Blues" by Tommy Johnson, "Jake Jigga Juke" by Iron Mike Norton, and "Jake Liquor Blues" by Ishman Bracey.

8 - E. B. Hammack, M. D. The Family Physician and Guide To Health; A System of Domestic Medicine Including A Treatise On Midwifery and the Diseases Peculiar to Women (St. Louis: Southwestern Book and Publishing Co., 1869). Print.

9 - C. F. Lawlor, The Mixicologist Or How To Mix All Kinds Of Fancy Drinks (Cincinnati: Lawlor & Co., 1895), 136. Print.

10 - Jennie Day Rees. The Complete Cook Book (Philadelphia: David McKay, 1900), 313. Print.

11 - Stone's Party Book (London UK: Stone's Ginger Wine, 1920s). Print. via GingerWine.com

12 - Charlie Roe and Jim Schwenck, The Home Bartender's Guide and Song Book (New York: Experimenter Publications, 1930), 45. Print.

13 - And So To Bed - Revised and Enlarged Edition in Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of the Birth of Samuel Pepys 1633-1933) (Montreal: Distillers Corporation, Seagram's Limited, 1933). Print. via Elemental Mixology.

14 - Tom and Jerry, How To Mix Drinks (Washington D.C.: Maxine Publishing Company, 1934), 7. Print.

15 - “Cocktail Bill” Boothby, The World's Drinks And How To Mix Them (San Francisco: Recorder Printing and Publishing Co., 1934), 105. Print.

16 - Eddie Clark, Shaking With Eddie at the American Bar (London: The Albany Club, 1948), 51. Print. Named a Rum Mac here, later called a Rum & Ginger by Stone's Original Green Ginger Wine in 1950s advertising.

17 - "Our History - Ginger's Medicinal Properties" Stone's Original Green Ginger Wine Web. 09 July 2018.

18 - There's also a separate Sandy MacDonald Cocktail.12,14 Ingredients are listed above under the "Kindred Spirits" heading.

19 - Many websites claim the Whisky Mac has been around since the 1860s, but we haven't been able to verify.

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