The Blood and Sand – an old classic from Prohibition times, which has only recently become really well-known – and about which everything seems to have been said. And yet even this classic can be improved. We report on how this can be done.
40 ml Laphroaig Quarter Cask
20 ml orange juice
20 ml Guignolet de Dijon by Gabriel Boudier
20 ml Moot vermouth
3 orange zests
Preparation: Shaken (including the orange zests).
Alternative:
40 ml Nikka Coffey Malt Whisky
20 ml orange juice
20 ml Guignolet de Dijon by Gabriel Boudier
20 ml Moot vermouth
3 orange zests
Preparation: Shaken (including the orange zests).
Before we turn to the history of the drink, something should be said about our recipe. Although it is repeatedly emphasised that the Cherry Heering is an integral part and would rarely be substituted by bartenders, [4] it turns out that the drink becomes more harmonious with the Guignolet mentioned here. Moreover, the historical recipes are also basically identical, suggesting that there is not much room for improvement. One is surprised that it does not say that orange zest should be shaken into the drink. However, the result is very convincing and we would definitely recommend trying it out. Other bartenders also muddle half an orange and then shake it, but since the proportion of orange juice varies, we decided to measure it out and shake orange zest instead.
The history of the drink
Blood and Sand” is presumably named after the silent film of the same name from 1922, based on the novel “Sangre y arena” by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez. [1] [5] The film was very successful and was parodied by Stan Laurel in “Mud and Sand” the same year. [5] [7] Both silent films are available on archive.org: Blood and Sand [2] and Mud and Sand [6].
It is not known exactly when the drink was created and who invented it. It was not published for the first time in Harry Craddock’s “The Savoy Cocktail Book” in 1930, as stated in some sources, [3] [4] [8] but in the “Buckstone Book of Cocktails”, published around 1925.
In 1926, a drink of the same name (but with a different recipe) is listed in “A Cocktail Continentale”. [3] In 1936, a drink with the same name is listed in “Exclusive Cocktails”, but it has nothing in common except its name.
The Blood and Sand is not really listed in many historical books, and so one may assume that it does not seem to have been particularly successful or well-known. It fell into oblivion again and was only rediscovered in the course of the cocktail renaissance.
Although the recipe does not sound very convincing at first, the result is a wonderful, versatile drink. In the old recipes, the ingredients are always used in the same proportions, but in the newer recipes, the whisky content predominates and the other proportions are also varied.
The Blood and Sand is a true chameleon, so changeable and adaptable is it. It can be reinterpreted again and again, and many bartenders have used it as a basis for creating new drinks. Blended scotch, single malt whisky or even a smoky mezcal can be used as the base spirit. The only important thing is to use an expressive spirit that can stand out against the other ingredients. Even among these, the variations are numerous. Sometimes blood orange juice, pink grapefruit juice or even persimmon juice is used instead of orange juice. The only constant seems to be the cherry liqueur and vermouth. [4]
Sources:
- http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_and_Sand_%28Cocktail%29: Blood and Sand (Cocktail)
- https://archive.org/details/BLOODANDSAND1922RudolphValentinoNitaNaldiLilaLee: Blood and Sand (1922).
- https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blood_and_Sand_1922_poster.jpg: Movie poster for 1922 film Blood and Sand.
- Camper English: Blood and Sand. Hollywood-Klassiker aus den 30er Jahren. Mixology 1/2011, Page 40 und http://mixology.eu/trends_und_innovation/blood-and-sand/ (31. July 2011).
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_and_Sand_%281922_film%29: Blood and Sand (1922 film).
- https://archive.org/details/MudandSand: Mud and Sand (1922).
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mud_and_Sand: Mud and Sand.
- http://mixology.eu/klassik/blood-sand/: Blood and Sand. Moderater Genuss unter martialischem Namen. By Marco Beier, 15. January 2013.
Historical recipes
1925? „Robert“ Buckby & George Stone: The Buckstone Book of Cocktails. Seite 14. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Scotch Whisky, 1/4 Cherry Brandy, 1/4
Italian Vermouth, 1/4 orange juice.
Shake and strain.
1930 Harry Cradock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 30. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice.
1/4 Scotch Whisky.
1/4 Cherry Brandy.
1/4 Italian Vermouth.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1933 Anonymus: Hollywood’s Favorite Cocktail Book. Seite 6. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1/4 Cherry brandy
1/4 Italian Vermouth
Shake wll and strain into
cocktail glass.
1933 Anonymus: O’Dell’s Book of Cocktails and Fancy Drinks. Seite 141. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice, 1/4 Scotch Whisky,
1/4 Cherry Brandy, 1/4 Italian Vermouth.
1933 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 30. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice.
1/4 Scotch Whisky.
1/4 Cherry Brandy.
1/4 Italian Vermouth.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1934 G. F. Steele: My New Cocktail Book. Seite 29. Blood and Sand.
1/4 Orange juice
1/4 Scotch Whiskey
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Italian Vermouth
1934 Harry Jerrold Gordon: Gordon’s Cocktail and Food Recipes. Seite 59. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1 Scotch Whiskey
1 Italian Vermouth
1 Orange Juice
1 Cherry Brandy
Ice. – Stir. Strain and serve.
1934 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 107. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Scotch Whiskey
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Italian Vermouth
Stir well in ice and strain.
1934 William T. Boothby: „Cocktail Bill“ Boothby’s World Drinks. Seite 27. Blood and Sand.
Whisky . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4 jigger Cherry Brandy . . . . . . 1/4 jigger
It. Vermouth . . . . . . . 1/4 jigger Orange . . . . . . . . . . . . 1/4 jigger
Shake well with ice, strain into chilled cocktail glass and serve.
1935 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston. Seite 16. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Scotch Whiskey
1/4 Old Mr. Boston Cherry Nectar
1/4 Italian Vermouth
Shake well with cracked ice and
strain into 3 oz. Cocktail glass.
1935 O. Blunier: The Barkeeper’s Golden Book. Seite 82. Blood & Sand.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Italian Vermouth
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1936 Anonymus: Cocktails, Drinks and Snacks. Seite 23. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
2 oz. Scotch
1 oz. Italian Vermouth
Juice of one orange
1 oz Cherry Brandy
Ice, stir, strain into large cocktail glass.
1936 Anonymus: Exclusive Cocktails. Blood and Sand.
Take two-sixths of a measure of Usher’s Rum
one-sixth of a measure of Red Curaco and one-
sixth of a measure of Grenadine. Add a good
dash of Cloves and a dash of Orange Bitters.
To this add an equal quantity of milk. Ice and
shake well.
Serve in a long-stemmed glass, crusted with
sugar. Serve with a piece of preserved fruit.
1936 Frank A. Thomas: Wines, Cocktails and other Drinks. Seite 174. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1 1/2 glasses Scotch whisky 1 1/2 glasses Italian
1 1/2 glasses cherry liqueur vermouth
. 1 1/2 glasses orange juice
1936 Raymond Porta Mingot: Gran Manual de Cocktails. Seite 172. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
Usese la cocktelera.
Unos pedacitos de hielo.
1/4 parte de jugo de naranja Sasic.
1/4 parte de Whisky John Haig.
1/4 parte de Cherry Brandy Marie Bri-
zard.
1/4 parte de Vermouth Torino Cinzano.
Agítese, cuélese y sírvase en copa de 130
gramos.
1937 United Kingdom Bartenders Guild: Approved Cocktails. Blood and Sand.
25% Orange Juice.
25% Scotch Whisky (Johnnie Walker).
25% Cherry Brandy.
25% Italian Vermouth.
Shake and strain into cocktail glass.
1938 Hyman Gale & Gerald F. Marco: The How and When. Seite 97. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Italian Vermouth
Shake well
Strain into Cocktail Glass
1940 Anonymus: Professional Mixing Guide. Seite 22. Blood ‘n’ Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz Orange juice, 1/2 oz Scotch, 1/2 oz
Cherry Brandy, 1/2 oz Sweet Ver-
mouth. Shake well with cracked ice
and strain into cocktail glass.
1940 Charles: The Cocktail Book. Seite 39. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/8 gill of fresh orange juice,
1/8 gill of Italian vermouth,
1/8 gill of cherry brandy,
1/8 gill of Scotch whisky.
Use the mixing glass.
1940 Crosby Gaige: Crosby Gaige’s Cocktail Guide. Seite 125. Blood ‘n’ Sand Cocktail.
1/3 jigger Scotch, Vat 69 preferably
1/3 jigger Cherry Brandy
1/3 jigger Sweet Vermouth
1/3 jigger Orange Juice
Shake well with cracked ice and strain into
cocktail glass.
1940 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 107. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice
1/4 Scotch Whiskey
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Italian Vermouth
Stir well in ice and strain.
1944 Crosby Gaige: The Standard Cocktail Guide. Seite 50. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1 ounce Scotch
1/2 ounce Orange Juice
1/2 ounce Cherry Brandy
1/2 ounce Sweet Vermouth
Shake well with cracked ice.
1944 Harmann Burney Burke: Burke’s Complete Cocktail & Drinking Recipes. Seite 59. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1 Scotch Whiskey
1 Italian Vermouth
1 Orange Juice
1 Cherry Brandy
Ice. — Stir. Strain and serve.
1948 Hilario Alonso Sanchez: El Arte del Cantinero. Seite 357. Blood and Sand.
1 parte de whisky escocés.
1 parte de vermouth italia-
no.
1 parte de jugo de naranjy.
1 parte de Cherry Brandy.
Hielo. Revuélvase, cuéle-
se y sírvase.
1948 Trader Vic: Bartender’s Guide. Seite 262. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz. scotch 1/2 oz. Italian vermouth
1/2 oz. cherry brandy 1/2 oz. orange juice
Shake with cracked ice; strain into chilled cocktail glass.
1949 Anonymus: Professional Mixing Guide. Seite 23. Blood ‘n’ Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz Orange juice, 1/2 oz. Scotch,
1/2 oz. Cherry Brandy, 1/2 oz. Sweet
Vermouth. Shake well with crack-
ed ice and strain into cocktail
glass.
1950 Ted Shane: Authentic and Hilarious Bar Guide. Seite 20. Blood and Sand.
1 part Italian Vermouth 1 part Scotch
1 part Orange Juice 1 part Cherry Brandy
Shake with cracked ice and strain.
Do not use same ice twice, except in Scotland.
1952 Charles: The Cocktail Bar. Seite 39. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/8 gill of fresh orange juice,
1/8 gill of Italian vermouth,
1/8 gill of cherry brandy,
1/8 gill of Scotch whisky.
Use the mixing glass.
1953 „Kappa“: Bartender’s Guide to Mixed Drinks. Seite 18. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Scotch Whiskey
1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Shake well with cracked Ice and strain into 3 oz.
Cocktail glass.
1953 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston Official Bartender’s Guide. Seite 28. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Scotch Whiskey
1/2 oz. Old Mr. Boston Wild Cherry
Flavored Brandy
1/2 oz. Italian Vermouth
Shake well with cracked Ice and strain
into 3 oz. Cocktail glass.
1954 Eddie Clark: King Cocktail. Seite 28. Blood and Sand.
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Sweet Vermouth
1/4 Orange Juice
Shake well and strain into
a cocktail glass.
1954 Robert H. Loeb, Jr.: Nip Ahoy. Seite 76. Blood ‘n’ Sand Cocktail.
1956 Patrick Gavin Duffy: The Official Mixer’s Manual. Seite 96. Blood and Sand.
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Sweet Vermouth
1/4 Orange Juice
Stir well with ice and strain into
glass.
1957 Henri Barman: Cocktails et autres boissons mélangées. Seite 26. Blood and Sand.
Timbale à mélange, glace
1/4 Scotch Whisky
1/4 Cherry Brandy
1/4 Vermouth italien
1/4 jus d’orange frais
Bien remuer en timbale et
passer dans verre à cocktail.
Mélangeur électr. : voir note.
1957 Lawrence Blochman: Here’s How. Seite 32. Blood and Sandy.
1 part Scotch 1 part cherry cordial
1 part sweet vermouth 1 part orange juice
Shake well with ice. Strain.
1963 Eddie Clarke: Shaking in the 60’s. Seite 90. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 measure Scotch whisky
1/2 measure cherry brandy
1/2 measure sweet Vermouth
1/2 measure orange juice
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass
1965 Aladar von Wesendonk: 888 Cocktails. Seite 65. Blood and Sand.
1/4 Grant’s Straight Malt
Highland Scotch
1/4 Heering Cherry Brandy
1/4 Gancia Vermouth rot
1/4 Orangensaft
im shaker schütteln
1965 Harry Schraemli: Manuel du bar. Seite 356. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 jus d’orange, 1/4 Cherry-brandy, 1/4 vermouth rouge, 1/4 whisky.
Agiter.
1965 Robert London & Anne London: Cocktails and Snacks. Seite 50. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 ounce Scotch whisky 1/2 ounce orange juice
1/2 ounce cherry brandy 1/2 ounce sweet vermouth
Shake well with cracked ice. Strain into cocktail glass.
1966 Harry Schraemli: Le roi du bar. Seite 36. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
Shaker. 1/4 jus d’orange, 1/4 sherry-brandy,
1/4 vermouth rouge, 1/4 whisky.
1966 John Doxat: Booth’s Handbook of Cocktails and Mixed Drinks. Seite 65. Blood and Sand.
1/2 oz. each —
Scotch Whisky
Cherry Brandy
Orange Juice
Sweet Vermouth
Shake, strain into large cocktail-glass.
1972 Leo Cotton: Old Mr. Boston. Seite 9. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/2 oz. Orange Juice
1/2 oz. Old Mr. Boston Scotch
Whisky
1/2 oz. Old Mr. Boston Wild Cherry
Flavored Brandy
1/2 oz. Sweet Vermouth
Shake well with cracked ice and
strain into 3 oz. cocktail glass.
1976 Harry Craddock: The Savoy Cocktail Book. Seite 30. Blood and Sand Cocktail.
1/4 Orange Juice.
1/4 Scotch Whisky.
1/4 Cherry Brandy.
1/4 Italian Vermouth.
Shake well and strain into
cocktail glass.
1977 Stan Jones: Jones’ Complete Barguide. Seite 230. Blood and Sand.
Cocktail Glass Shake
3/4 oz orange juice
3/4 oz Scotch
1/2 oz cherry flavored brandy
1/2 oz sweet vermouth
2008 http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/le-lion-hamburg/: Le Lion, Hamburg. Laphroaig 10-Year single-malt Islay scotch, Guignolet de Dijon black cherry liqueur, Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, and fresh orange juice.
2009 Ted Haigh: Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails. Blood and Sand. 3 cl Scotch; 3 cl orange juice; 2 cl cherry flavored brandy (Cherry Heering or Cherry Marnier is best); 2 cl sweet vermouth.
2010 Gaz Regan: The Cocktailian Chronicles. Seite 208. The Blood and Sand Cocktail. 22,5 ml scotch; 22,5 ml sweet vermouth; 22,5 ml cherry brandy; 22,5 ml fresh orange juice.
2011 Helmut Adam, Jens Hasenbein, Bastian Heuser: Cocktailian 1. Seite 270. Blood & Sand. 3 cl Scotch Whisky; 3 cl Orangensaft; 2 cl Cherry Brandy; 2 cl roter Wermut.
2011 Jim Meehan: Das Geheime Cocktail-Buch. Seite 73. Blood and Sand. 4,5 cl Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whiskey; 2 cl Orangensaft; 1,5 cl Heering Cherry Liqueur; 1,5 cl Carpano Antica Formula.
2012 Tom Sandham: World’s Best Cocktails. Seite 175. Blood and Sand. 25 ml whisky; 25 ml sweet vermouth; 25 ml Heering cherry liqueur; 25 ml orange juice; garnish: orange zest strip.
2014 Dave Arnold: Liquid Intelligence. Seite 130. Blood and Sand. 1 Unze Schottischer Whisky; 3/4 Unzen Cherry Heering; 3/4 Unzen süßer Wermut; 1/2 Unze Orangensaft; Garnierung: Orangenzeste, optional flambiert.
2014 David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald, Alex Day: Death & Co. Seite 140. Blood and Sand. 1 ounce Springbank 10-year Scotch; 1/2 ounce Cherry Heering; 1/2 ounce house sweet vermouth (1 part Dolin Rouge vermouth, 1 part Punt e Mes); 3/4 ounce orange juice; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; garnish: 1 brandied cherry.
2014 Tony Conigliaro: 69 Colebrooke Row. Seite 104. Blood and Sand. 40 ml corn whisky; 20 ml Martini Rosso; 20 ml orange juice; 20 ml Heering Cherry Liqueur.
2015 Duggan McDonnell: Drinking the devil’s acre. Seite 207. The Blood and Sand. 20 ml blended Scotch, such as Great King Street; 20 ml Heering cherry liqueur; 20 ml Italian vermouth; 20 ml orange juice. Garnish: expressed orange peel.
2016 André Darlington & Tenaya Darlington: The New Cocktail Hour. Seite 71. Blood and Sand. 45 ml Talisker; 22 ml Cherry Heering; 22 ml Carpano Antica Formula; 30 ml Orangensaft; Garnitur: Orangenzeste.
2016 Brian Silva: Mixing in the Right Circles at Balthazar London. Seite 44. Blood And Sand. 35 ml The Famous Grouse; 15 ml Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy; 15 ml Martini Rosso Vermouth; 25 ml orange juice.
2016 Klaus St. Rainer: Cocktails. Seite 128. Blood And Sand. 30 ml blended scotch whisky; 30 ml Carpano Antica Formula vermouth; 30 ml cherry liquor (Heering); creamy orange foam. Seite 162. Creamy Orange Foam. 500 ml orange juice; 2 spoons xanthan; 1 nitrous oxide cartridge.
2016 Philip Greene: The Manhattan. Seite 154. Blood & Sand. 3/4 Unze Monkey Shoulder Scotch Whisky; 3/4 Unze Cherry Heering; 3/4 Unze Martini Sweet Vermouth; 1 Unze Orangensaft; Garnitur: flambierte Orangenzeste.
2017 Gary Regan: The Joy of Mixology. Seite 184. Blood and Sand. 3/4 ounce scotch; 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth; 3/4 ounce cherry brandy; 3/4 ounce orange juice.
2017 Jim Meehan: Meehan’s Bartender Manual. Seite 317. Blood And Sand. 1,5 oz. Johnnie Walker Black blended Scotch Whisky; 0,75 oz. orange juice; 0,5 oz. Carpano Antica Formula vermouth; 0,5 oz. Cherry Heering.
2018 Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, David Kaplan: Cocktail Codex. Seite 193. Blood and Sand. 1 ounce Famous Grouse scotch; 3/4 ounce Carpano Antica Formula vermouth; 3/4 ounce Cherry Heering; 1 ounce orange juice; garnish: 1 brandied cherry.
2018 Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, David Kaplan: Cocktail Codex. Seite 193. Blood and Sand (ours). 1 ounce Famous Grouse scotch; 3/4 ounce Carpano Antica Formula vermouth; 3/4 ounce Cherry Heering; 1 ounce orange juice; 2 drops citric Acid Solution; garnish: 1 brandied cherry. Seite 298. Citric Acid Solution. 100 grams filtered water; 25 grams citric acid powder.
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