Blood and SandCocktail recipe
Rating
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Blood and Sand is a classic cocktail that gets its unique name and vibrant color from the combination of ingredients used in its creation. This drink originated in the 1920s and was named after the 1922 silent film, "Blood and Sand," starring Rudolph Valentino.
The cocktail features a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, making it a popular choice among cocktail enthusiasts. The use of blood orange juice, red vermouth, cherry liqueur, and whiskey gives this cocktail a rich and complex flavor profile.
The blood orange juice adds a tangy and slightly bitter note, while the red vermouth and cherry liqueur bring a sweet and fruity element. The whiskey adds a bold and smoky undertone, giving this cocktail a smooth and well-rounded taste.
Overall, Blood and Sand is a flavorful and well-balanced cocktail that is sure to please any palate.
Microbadges
Can you make this?
Add the ingredients you have at home to your My Bar and we'll show you what cocktails you can make. Start off by adding the ingredients you have for this cocktail using the plus icons.
Cocktail glass
Ingredients
Cocktail Colin says:
The Blood and Sand cocktail skillfully marries the smoky undertones of whiskey with the tartness of blood orange juice, creating an intriguing dance of flavors. This drink leverages the sweetness of cherry liqueur and the herbal notes of red vermouth to round out a complex but harmonious profile that's both vibrant and robust, truly a testament to the Roaring Twenties' flair for the dramatic.
Method
How to make a Blood and Sand
- Whiskey 20ml, Cherry liqueur 20ml, Red vermouth 20ml, Blood orange juice 20ml
-
- Pour all ingredients into a shaker with ice
-
- Shake well then double strain into a chilled cocktail glass
-
- Garnish with a flamed orange peel and a maraschino cherry and serve
Power tips
Elevate the Blood and Sand with these master mixologist tips
Upgrade to premium
And receive world class tips on how to raise your cocktails to the next level.
Find out more- Use freshly squeezed blood orange juice for its vibrant color and flavor, adding a fresh and tangy note to the cocktail.
- Add a few drops of orange bitters to enhance the citrus elements and bring out a more refined complexity.
- Upgrade to premium to receive even more power tips on this cocktail.
Your private tasting notes
Featured in
FAQ's
What is the history or origin of the Blood and Sand cocktail?
The Blood and Sand cocktail is believed to have originated in the 1920s and is named after the 1922 silent movie 'Blood and Sand'. The movie starred Rudolph Valentino as a bullfighter, which is thought to have inspired the cocktail's name. It's one of the few classic cocktails that includes Scotch whisky and has remained popular due to its unique combination of ingredients that balance sweetness, bitterness, and the smokiness of Scotch.
How should the Blood and Sand cocktail be garnished?
The Blood and Sand cocktail is traditionally garnished with a cherry or an orange peel to complement its citrus and cherry flavors. The bright garnish adds a visual appeal and an extra layer of aroma and flavor that enhances the overall drinking experience.
Can I use any type of whiskey for the Blood and Sand cocktail?
While you can use different types of whiskey based on personal preference, the classic Blood and Sand cocktail is specifically made with Scotch whisky due to its distinct smoky flavor that balances well with the sweetness of the cherry liqueur and the tartness of the blood orange juice. Using a Scotch whisky, especially a blended one, is recommended to stay true to the original flavor profile.
Is there a non-alcoholic version of the Blood and Sand cocktail?
Yes, you can make a non-alcoholic version of the Blood and Sand cocktail by substituting the alcoholic ingredients with non-alcoholic alternatives. Use a non-alcoholic whiskey alternative for the whiskey, a non-alcoholic red vermouth, and a non-alcoholic cherry syrup or liqueur. The key is to maintain the balance of sweet, sour, and rich flavors characteristic of the original cocktail.
What is the significance of the alcohol content in the Blood and Sand cocktail?
The Blood and Sand cocktail has an alcohol content of 17.75%, which places it in the category of moderately strong cocktails. This alcohol content signifies that while the cocktail has a notable amount of alcohol, the combination of juices and cherry liqueur makes it a balanced and approachable drink. The alcohol content contributes to the cocktail's body and warmth, making it suitable for sipping and savoring, rather than quick consumption.
Upgrade your mixology
Become a member for free taking your cocktail making skills up to level 11. Or become a premium member to rise to cocktail greatness.
- Save your bar forever
- Access to our Cocktail Creator, allowing you to create your own wonderful concoctions.
- Access to Cocktail Colin; ask Cocktail Colin anything on an individual cocktail and he'll give you the answers you need.
- Create personalised cocktail menus for all your events, bars or parties
- Save cocktails to personalised 'Tried' and 'Want to try' lists
- Create and record tasting notes on cocktails
- Create lists of cocktails to share with friends and family
- A personalised MyBar URL, allowing you to share everything you can make with friends
- And much more ... (what to buy next, measurement choices, search personalisation...)
Have you tried our Wordpress Plugin?
Download our plugin and embed cocktail recipes directly onto your own site or blog.
Choose from our whole recipe database, or choose a specific cocktail made with a certain ingredient, and let us place a beautiful recipe on your own site.
Find out moreYou might also like
Experience this perfect Scotch and soda balance.
Scotch Whisky Highball
Whiskey, Soda water
Try this classic mix of amaretto and whiskey
Godfather
Whiskey, Amaretto
Experience this elegant blend of whiskey and sherry.
Rapscallion
Whiskey (Single malt Scotch), Aniseed liqueur (Pastis. To rinse the glass), Sherry (Dry) (Preferable Pedro Ximénez sherry)
Try this vibrant vodka and whiskey concoction
Venom
Vodka, Whiskey, Orange, WKD blue
Create a cocktail
Choose a theme and some ingredients, give us some description and we'll create an amazing cocktail for you.
Register as a Premium Make Me a Cocktail community member and get access to an even more powerful creator.
Start creatingBuild your bar
Tell us what you have at home and we’ll find a delicious cocktail for you to make right now.
Register as a Make Me a Cocktail community member and we’ll save your ingredients list so you can come back to it at any time.
Create My Bar
Cocktail Colin
Your cocktail expert
Hi! I'm Cocktail Colin
Ask me anything about this cocktail - how to make it, substitutions, variations, or any other questions!
Become a member to access Cocktail Colin
Become a member (for free) to pick Cocktail Colin's cocktail filled brain on everything on this cocktail, from substitutions, if you can use what you have, to serving suggestions and more.
Become a member
Comments