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Cocktail History
The De Rigueur is a classic cocktail that was created by Harry Craddock at the Savoy Hotel in London, England and was first published in his 1930 book The Savoy Cocktail Book. It is one of two similar recipes, the first being this French-inspired drink made with Scotch whisky, grapefruit, and honey and the second being an American drink called the Brown Derby made with bourbon instead of Scotch.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Scotch: This is a type of whiskey made in Scotland with malt or grain, spices, alcohol, and water. We used The Famous Grouse because it’s a great mixing whisky with a bit of smoky flavor but still plenty of sweetness. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the whisky.
Grapefruit Juice: This is the liquid juice of a grapefruit. We used freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s simple recipe.
Grapefruit Wedge: This is a grapefruit slice that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The De Rigueur features a distinct Scotch aroma and a surprisingly bitter taste that starts with the citrus and finishes with the whisky, while the honey balances out the two.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We probably wouldn’t whip this one up again because Kendall doesn’t love Scotch, and Alex likes other whisky-based cocktails made with honey more. We can see why its name means “something you just have to have” though. The bitterness of the De Rigueur might just keep you coming back for another sip.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This cocktail and I have a great history. When we first made it early on in our cocktail-making career, I was pretty lukewarm on it, but as I grew to love Scotch and after I tried the Brown Derby (which is the same drink but with bourbon instead of Scotch), I really started to appreciate it more. At our wedding, we served something we called the Top Hat—a Brown Derby in every way, with the addition of a couple dashes of Crude Bitters Grapefruit & Peppercorn Bitters. Throughout the reception, I quickly switched my cocktail preference to ‘that, but with Scotch instead’ and rode that throughout the night. As my palate has evolved, the slightly peated and malty flavors of a blended Scotch have overtaken my love of bourbon in many drinks, this one being the biggest example.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Of the Brown Derby and De Rigueur, which are very similar recipes just from different continents, I think I have to call this my least favorite of the two. It is very good and still grapefruit-forward like the Brown Derby, but there’s just something that’s a little less palatable about this one for me. I think it’s the Scotch because the other uses bourbon, which I find to be much more to my liking, so I suppose that means you should try both versions as well and make your own call as to which you enjoy more. Overall, this is a great classic that’s earned its keep, and I can see why Alex likes it as much as he does!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Add Scotch, pink grapefruit juice, honey syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Ingredients
Directions
Add Scotch, pink grapefruit juice, honey syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with grapefruit wedge.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Escape Mocktails Green Label Single Malt Whiskey Non-Alcoholic Alternative in place of the whisky to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
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More Scotch Cocktails
If you like this Scotch-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Penicillin: A Scotch cocktail made with lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger syrup, and candied ginger
Saigon Lady: A Scotch and brandy cocktail made with grenadine, lemon juice, egg white, and ground cinnamon
Flannel Shirt: A Scotch cocktail made with apple cider, Amaro Averna, lemon juice, simple syrup, allspice dram, Angostura aromatic bitters, and an orange peel
Flying Scotsman: A Scotch cocktail made with sweet vermouth, simple syrup, Angostura aromatic bitters, orange zest, and an orange twist
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