Name: Strawberry Scotch Cocktail
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1 drink
Ingredients: 2 ripe Strawberries; 5 fresh lemon thyme or regular thyme springs; 1 ¼ ounces Scotch Whisky (I used Magnus); 1 ounce fresh lemon juice; ¾ ounce vanilla simple syrup; 2 ounces soda water or sparkling water

Strawberry Scotch Cocktail

The Strawberry Scotch Cocktail is a refreshing complex and delicious summer sipping drink. Light fruity strawberries mingle with peaty Scotch and tart lemon juice in a beverage that will just leave you happy.

I was provided with samples of Magnus Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky by the nice folks there. All my opinions are my own, and this is delicious! This post contains affiliate links, which if you buy something won’t cost you any extra, but will help support this blog. High five to you!

What is Scotch whisky?

Scotch whisky, or simply Scotch, is distilled only in Scotland. And, it’s distilled especially from malted barley. Scotch whisky must be made in a manner specified by law, for instance, all Scotch whisky must be aged in oak barrels for at least three years.

Scotch whisky differs from American whisky because American whiskey uses corn for flavor.

Scotch whisky is divided into five distinct categories:

single malt Scotch whisky
single grain Scotch whisky
blended malt Scotch whisky (formerly called “vatted malt” or “pure malt”)
blended grain Scotch whisky
and blended Scotch whisky

The characteristic smoky flavor of Scotch comes from the sprouted malted barley that’s dried over peat fires.

Traditionally, whiskies made in Scotland are spelled without the “e” (whiskey)

What’s the Difference Between Scotch, Whiskey and Bourbon?

The main difference between scotch and whisky is geographic, but also ingredients and spellings.

Technically, Scotch is whisky that must be produced in Scotland. Some Scotch tastes like bourbon, but with a that distinctive peaty smokiness.

Scotch is whisky made in Scotland, while bourbon is whiskey made in the U.S.A, generally Kentucky.

Scotch is most often ordered “neat“ (without ice) or “on the rocks“ (with ice). And, purists might be offended at the sight of their scotch mixed with fruit in this Strawberry Scotch Cocktail drink.

Scotch has a strong flavor profile doesn’t tend to go well in mixed drinks. However, the Rob Roy is a timeless Scotch cocktail that’s favored by many whiskey drinkers.

Recipe notes

I used a bottled vanilla syrup, like this one. It made it nice and easy to make my fun Strawberry Scotch Cocktail.

For the soda water, feel free to use any kind of sparkling water or club soda that you like. I tried some blood orange soda in this and it was delicious! I like the tart flavor it added. I also tried it with plain soda water and it was fabulous.

For my Strawberry Scotch Cocktail I used Magnus Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Magnus is a natural cask driven colored Scotch with a light golden, clear, and bright color. It has a nice aromatic peat smoke flavor along with lemon and vanilla hints. All those things simply mean it’s yummy.