Cocktails
Penicillin
Penicillin is a modern whisky cocktail with a honeyed ginger-citrus profile and a lightly smoky edge. Served chilled, it works best when the drink should feel bold, warming and carefully balanced.
At a Glance
Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition.
On this page
How hard is it to make?
Why: 5 ingredients, blended drink, requires shaker, blender
Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.
Ingredients
- 2 ozBlended ScotchOther
- 3/4 ozLemon JuiceJuice
- 2 tspHoney syrupSweetener
- 2 tspGinger SyrupSweetener
- 1/4 ozIslay single malt ScotchOther
How to Make It
- Shake blended Scotch, lemon juice, honey syrup and ginger syrup with ice.Shaken
- Strain over large ice in chilled Rocks glass.Strain
- Float smoky Scotch on top (be sure to use a smoky Scotch such as an Islay single malt).Top
- Garnish with candied ginger.Garnish
How to Serve
- Glass
- Old-Fashioned Glass
- Temperature
- Chilled
- Ice
- Ice
- Method
- Blended
Taste
What does Penicillin taste like?
Penicillin is fruit-led and approachable, with sweetness or ripe fruit notes shaping the profile. It works best when there is enough acidity or structure to avoid heaviness.
Primary flavours
Supporting notes
Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.
Estimated sensory profile
- High ABV
- Bright and citrusy
Practical notes
When to choose it
How to decide if Penicillin is right for you
Penicillin is a balanced cocktail choice shaped by honey, sweet, oak. Choose it when that flavor direction fits the food, season or mood. The listed serve is about 24.8% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.
Skip if
Skip Penicillin if...
Skip Penicillin if the listed flavor direction does not match your mood. It leans toward honey, sweet, oak, so choose a different page if you want another style.
About this drink
The Penicillin is a modern classic created by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey in New York in 2005. Its Scotch, lemon, honey and ginger profile deliberately nods to toddy-like comfort while still drinking like a contemporary whiskey sour variation.
When to serve
- BBQ / CookoutSuggested from its smoke and oak notes, pairing with bbq and grilled meat.
Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.
Food pairings
Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.
Diet & lifestyle
Compatible, based on the listed ingredients
Not compatible
Not enough information
Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.
Alternatives to try
Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.
Reviewed ingredient substitutions
Lemon Juice3/4 oz
Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.
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Last updated
Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.
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Frequently asked questions
- Can I make a Penicillin at home?
- Yes. The Penicillin uses 5 ingredients, making it straightforward to prepare at home. You will need a Old-Fashioned Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.