SCOTCH whisky brand R&B Distillers has created an internationally-inspired cocktail to reflect many nations where St Andrew is patron saint.
While in Scotland we associate St Andrew with the flying Saltire and use the national day as a chance to toast to all things Scottish, he is also the patron saint of diverse nations around the globe.
The St Andrew’s Martini features a dash of R&B Distillers’ own single malt Raasay While We Wait and potent Stolichnaya Blue Vodka from Russia, and is garnished with a Greek Kalamata black olive and a vibrant twist of zingy Amalfi lemon – to honour the fact that St Andrew's relics are preserved in Sant'Andrea Cathedral in Amalfi, Italy.
Zoe White, head of marketing at R&B Distillers in Edinburgh, said: “This St Andrew’s Day we wanted to celebrate what is an inherently a Scottish holiday but also represents our position as an international Scotch whisky brand and Scotland itself as a multicultural country. Scotland is not the only place where St Andrew is the patron saint; he is also that for Russia, Greece and the region of Amalfi in Italy. So we devised a special cocktail using ingredients from all of these – vodka from Russia, Greek olives, lemon from Amalfi and of course our own Scottish single malt.”
The recipe for the St Andrew’s Martini is – 10mls of Raasay While We Wait, 40mls of Stolichnaya Blue Vodka and 20mls of dry vermouth. Stir and serve in a martini glass and garnish with a Kalamata Olive and a twist of Amalfi lemon.
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