Pretty awesome that you featured The Paper Plane at the end! When talking about balance in term of cocktails Paper Plane and Last Word are great examples.
Fun tip - When you slice up your ginger to make your honey ginger syrup, save those ginger slices. Dry and sugar them to use as a garnish. I generally just use one big square cube for drinks like this, and I'll just set a couple of the ginger disks on top of the cube to reduce the waste of using a skewer. Tasty treats for one of my favorite tasty go-to cocktails. The honey ginger syrup is so versatile and fun to play with in other drinks too. Try it in an egg white sour rather than simple.
I far prefer whisky neat, so tonight I was thrilled to find, and try, a Penicillin variant called the Medicina Latina. Substitute tequila for the scotch (I used Fortaleza blanco) and mezcal for the Islay whisky (I used Don Amado), and lime juice for lemon. It was unbelievably good - one of the best drinks I've ever made. Instant top 3.
Good grief, I am wrecked. I could watch and listen to your videos all day. Ms. Divine you are an exquisite lady with unbelievable amounts of talent and personality! Utmost respect and props, ma'am. Keep up the great work :)
I love the “Story time”! And the review of the spirits in order to make a wise decision if we don’t find the spirits on our country or just wanna change them for other ones we like! Awesome Chanel!!
Sam Ross' Penicillin: quite literally is the only Scotch cocktail I endorse and will recommend to my own bar guests. Ambitious bartenders have been concocting Scotch cocktail recipes for over 100 years (e.g., Blood and Sand -- yuck!), but as a rule Scotch does not play well with others and is usually best served neat, on the rock, or in a whisky-and-soda highball. That said the combination of ingredients and flavors in Penicillin really do work well together, and the use of an Islay or other smoky-peaty Scotch as the float is really necessary to elevate this drink to its full potential. Sam Ross, you're a genius!
I just stumbled upon your channel and kinda got caught binging more than half the videos that you uploaded. I am just getting started in mixing a bit, so your channel is a great inspiration for me. And you're great at presenting! I can imagine, that cocktails are usually more of a boy's club, so your take is very refreshing. Looking forward for new content!
I like the Tinkers Stand No 3 (haven’t worked out if this is a classic or house cocktail yet haha, it was on the list at my first job!). Dark rum, amaro nonino/Montenegro, honey + ginger syrup, lemon in similar proportions to here. You could absolutely just leave out the amaro and do a classic so it too, ginger and rum go really well. But honestly just stick it in instead of sugar syrup wherever you like- a ginger Tom Collins is delicious, or try a Tommy’s Margarita instead of the agave 😋
My world cocktail day go to is my own version of the “Dark and Stormy” The ingredients are 1 Shot ginger brandy, 1 shot Krakken Rum, ginger beer! In a frozen beverage glass Ginger Brandy, fill to 1/2” from top with Ginger beer, then float the Krakken( or release the Krakken ) lol! On top!
I’m pretty lazy- there are a few more complicated ways but I usually just make 1:1 honey:water and slice a knob of ginger, pop it in and let it simmer for 10 mins. If you leave the ginger in longer (even overnight) before straining you’ll get a spicier syrup!
I first discovered The Penicillin a couple of years ago in a bar in Oval, London called 'The Brown Derby' Yes, named after the famous Hollywood restaurants of the same name because the owner had worked in bars in LA for some time I believe. But I did not know the history of the cocktail till now . I hope you won't be to horrified to know that I sometimes build this direct in the glass. I grate a small piece of ginger and muddle with a little honey in the bottom of a rocks glass. I have an ice mold that came with a bottle of 'The Shackelton' whisky which is supposed to approximate an Ice berg ! I put one of those in the glass drizzle as much honey as I want over the cube and then add the lemon and whisky -usually Shackleton and stir . Sometimes I garnish with a lemon slice for extra vitamin C, this is medicinal after all. Yes I prefer your version, but in a pinch this will certainly do and in winter ice can be omitted to make a hot toddy of it instead ! A genuine modern classic indeed. Make it again Sam ! Nice vid and I must try a Paper plane someday. I love that Bourbon.
Unfortunately I am allergic to penicillin 😢😂. I really like the format with history, choice of products, and technical reasons for mixing. Keep it up great resource.
Hey Jon! At the moment I do all of the prep at home as we’re not really set up to do it where we film, but maybe moving forward we could look at getting a little induction stove or something. I always keep the recipes really simple anyway! Thank you for the feedback 😊
Appreciate your work and the channel. This is a great spot on this history of his drink and and his methodology is understandable. Honey, cane (sorghum) whiskey and ginger were often used in old mountain recipes for the same effect here in the US - to treat colds, for pleasure and as a 'cure all'. The Scots, Irish and Scot-Irish settlers used this base concoction quite a bit - however ginger came in from Charleston through the Anglican trade with the West Indies and was more rare. Ginseng was also added, so were cloves and anise - lemon came later. They had nothing as complicated as clarified milk punch, their ingredients stayed simple. So ... noticed you used two slices of candied ginger instead of three, does the old superstition apply only to olives as a garnish?
Sounds like a very sophisticated cure for quite a lot. This channel will either save me during Corona....or kill me. We shall see... EDIT: can u do a Caipiroska vid?
I love smokey whiskies and I want to make this badly. I have an Octomore, and even if it probably will be way too funky for this, by god, I'm going to try it tonight.
@@BehindtheBar Tried it! With a barspoon of the 9.2. It was great, as you predicted. The more 'sour', fermented, 'ketchup and cheese'-type notes started playing with the lemon. It could use a stronger ginger syrup than I made, but the candies made up for it. It was one complex drink...
Sure, really anything peated works! Laphroaig, Talisker, Bowmore etc but you could also try a peated blend like Compass Box Peat Monster or Black Grouse for something a little easier on the wallet!
I love your accent, too! :-P I have serveral whiskys here, will use a "Tullamore Dew" instead of Johnny Walker, and "Bunnahabhain Heavily Peated" to substitute the Ardbeg. But how can I make the Honey and Ginger Syrup?
They’re great substitutions! The easiest way is to chop up some ginger (about 1 inch per 500ml) and pop it in some honey water (cut honey 1:1 with hot water). Leave it in there overnight and strain in the morning 😊
This is the first recipe I’ve seen using 50ml (instead of 60ml) of whisky for the base liquor. Is this done intentionally to make the drink less boozy?
Thanks so much for this confirmation! I’ve been studying recipes and it seems like 60ml pour seems to be the standard for hard liquor. I also just realised that 60ml is more than a regular shot, so all this time drinking these drinks no wonder I get so tipsy!
So now I know ;-), what's been bugging me quite frequently, why the name cocktail and what it has to do with cocks and tails. Ardbeg is great, classic Islay scotch, however I've also tried Talisker, which is also nice. I know that there is at least one more smoky, peaty whisky, Lagavulin, but I haven't tried this one yet. Had a long way from drinking cocktails, going through neat blended whiskys to being able to enjoy neat single malts (which are WAAAAY better than blends) including the smoky ones. That's also funny how you can exercise you smelling and tasting sense and the more you drink the more individual aromas in the spirits you can name. At first it was just all burn, then it turned into telling one blend from the other and now I can easily say things like a classic entry level single malt - Glenfiddich 12 has a distinctive taste of green apple, ripe pears and a hint of citrus :D And yes, I'm kind of a whisky snob already :P When friends go for a JD Fire I'm like... meh, no...
Haha of course it’s got a claim for the crown! I just find the more medicinal/iodine flavours can overpower a bit, so stick with Ardbeg but Laphroaig would definitely work, I’d just go a bit lighter handed on it.
Behind the Bar I completely agree! To be honest its the only really smoky scotch I’ve ever tried so I just assumed it was that particular quality that I hated. I must try Ardberg then! There’s still hope for me lol
Origin of the word 'Cocktail': In a Grand Ball, a young British man is seen mixing various spirits and colorful juices in a state of absolute drunken stupor. An older British gentleman notices and sneers, "Why, good heavens! You'll get yourself killed young chap if you drink that bloody cocktail of yours or whatever the devil of a potion that is!" Young chap: "Bugger off, old man! I will bloody drink whatever I fancy. Might I suggest that you shut your pie hole, take your horses and leave at once?" A journalist in monocle overhearing this conversation jots down the word "Cocktail" in his pocketbook and underlines it.
Even if you made the Ginger Syrup off-site would have been good to (even briefly) discuss how you made it, or put that in the description. Love your videos, but if you are making people go elsewhere to find out how to make this drink (which they can't do by following the video as is) they could do that for the whole cocktail-- why watch it at all... (answer: accent, your personality...)
Ardbeg is wonderful and can't be compared with Johnny Walker Black... Your video is misleading. At first, you say that you're using Ardbeg. Later, yeah say you're using Johnny Walker Black.... Or are you asking to mix the two?
The accent has convinced me to drink anything she makes. I’ve watched 10 videos so far and now want an at home bar.
Thanks so very much. I am an avid mixologist, currently recovering from a stroke. (I lived) now. I am learning this stuff all over again!
So glad to hear you’re feeling better and that you’re finding this useful!
Excellent! Just excellent.
Thanks pal!
Only just got into mixology and just discovered this channel. A great tutorial from a very informed mixologist. I’m already hooked!
So much fun to be had with cocktails! Plays such a huge part in my personal and professional life. Hope you're still enjoying it!
Pretty awesome that you featured The Paper Plane at the end! When talking about balance in term of cocktails Paper Plane and Last Word are great examples.
Definitely!
"and cocteils are good for hangovers, maybe" i love it! great channell!
Fun tip - When you slice up your ginger to make your honey ginger syrup, save those ginger slices. Dry and sugar them to use as a garnish. I generally just use one big square cube for drinks like this, and I'll just set a couple of the ginger disks on top of the cube to reduce the waste of using a skewer. Tasty treats for one of my favorite tasty go-to cocktails. The honey ginger syrup is so versatile and fun to play with in other drinks too. Try it in an egg white sour rather than simple.
Great tip!
That's a great hack! Cheers for that!
I far prefer whisky neat, so tonight I was thrilled to find, and try, a Penicillin variant called the Medicina Latina. Substitute tequila for the scotch (I used Fortaleza blanco) and mezcal for the Islay whisky (I used Don Amado), and lime juice for lemon. It was unbelievably good - one of the best drinks I've ever made. Instant top 3.
Delicious!!
Good grief, I am wrecked. I could watch and listen to your videos all day. Ms. Divine you are an exquisite lady with unbelievable amounts of talent and personality! Utmost respect and props, ma'am. Keep up the great work :)
Oh and amidst all my gushing I forgot to add great information on different liquor, mixers, and recipes!
Haha shucks!
New favorite cocktail channel! Perfect mix of informed history, interesting showmanship, and fresh content! Cheers and keep up the work!
Thank you so much for the kind words Erik, so glad you’re enjoying!
We usually call females “tail” or chicks. And “cock” well , self explanatory.
I love the “Story time”! And the review of the spirits in order to make a wise decision if we don’t find the spirits on our country or just wanna change them for other ones we like!
Awesome Chanel!!
Thanks pal, so glad you’re enjoying it!
one of my fav drinks
Sam Ross' Penicillin: quite literally is the only Scotch cocktail I endorse and will recommend to my own bar guests. Ambitious bartenders have been concocting Scotch cocktail recipes for over 100 years (e.g., Blood and Sand -- yuck!), but as a rule Scotch does not play well with others and is usually best served neat, on the rock, or in a whisky-and-soda highball. That said the combination of ingredients and flavors in Penicillin really do work well together, and the use of an Islay or other smoky-peaty Scotch as the float is really necessary to elevate this drink to its full potential. Sam Ross, you're a genius!
Can I recommend the Peanut Malt Flip by Abgus Winchetser.
Certainly not for everyone, but I adore it. (Adore the Penicillin too)
5:32 brings the memories back
I just stumbled upon your channel and kinda got caught binging more than half the videos that you uploaded. I am just getting started in mixing a bit, so your channel is a great inspiration for me. And you're great at presenting! I can imagine, that cocktails are usually more of a boy's club, so your take is very refreshing. Looking forward for new content!
Thank you so much for the kind words Hans, so glad you’re finding it useful 😊
Can you suggest any other cocktails that utilize the ginger syrup? I've made the penicillin twice now, and really enjoy them!
I like the Tinkers Stand No 3 (haven’t worked out if this is a classic or house cocktail yet haha, it was on the list at my first job!). Dark rum, amaro nonino/Montenegro, honey + ginger syrup, lemon in similar proportions to here. You could absolutely just leave out the amaro and do a classic so it too, ginger and rum go really well. But honestly just stick it in instead of sugar syrup wherever you like- a ginger Tom Collins is delicious, or try a Tommy’s Margarita instead of the agave 😋
Love your videos and you're an awesome mixologist I would love to know with the tune you have playing in the background is cuz that's pretty killer
Very clear and informative, thanks
Love this drink!
Requests??? On the lookout for your take on the Vieux Carré!
Nice
Beautiful
Going to need to make the honey and lemon syrup soon. Really want to try this
i love these videos
The first time that I came to this channel, it was for the recipes; Now I keep coming for Cara (and for the recipes)
So glad to you’re enjoying pal!
My world cocktail day go to is my own version of the “Dark and Stormy”
The ingredients are
1 Shot ginger brandy, 1 shot Krakken Rum, ginger beer!
In a frozen beverage glass Ginger Brandy, fill to 1/2” from top with Ginger beer, then float the Krakken( or release the Krakken ) lol! On top!
Sounds delicious!
Love a good Penicillin! Big fan of scotch and ginger! Cheers Cara
Just found you this week. Great channel ... it’ll be penicillins for me this evening!
Hope you enjoyed!
Love this cocktail!
It’s a banger!
So this is how it all started, pretty cool
This is great. I hope this channel gets the attention it deserves :)
Thank you, I really appreciate that 🙏
DEFinitely want to try this. Do you have a recipe for making the infused syrup?
I’m pretty lazy- there are a few more complicated ways but I usually just make 1:1 honey:water and slice a knob of ginger, pop it in and let it simmer for 10 mins. If you leave the ginger in longer (even overnight) before straining you’ll get a spicier syrup!
I first discovered The Penicillin a couple of years ago in a bar in Oval, London called 'The Brown Derby' Yes, named after the famous Hollywood restaurants of the same name because the owner had worked in bars in LA for some time I believe. But I did not know the history of the cocktail till now . I hope you won't be to horrified to know that I sometimes build this direct in the glass. I grate a small piece of ginger and muddle with a little honey in the bottom of a rocks glass. I have an ice mold that came with a bottle of 'The Shackelton' whisky which is supposed to approximate an Ice berg ! I put one of those in the glass drizzle as much honey as I want over the cube and then add the lemon and whisky -usually Shackleton and stir . Sometimes I garnish with a lemon slice for extra vitamin C, this is medicinal after all. Yes I prefer your version, but in a pinch this will certainly do and in winter ice can be omitted to make a hot toddy of it instead ! A genuine modern classic indeed. Make it again Sam ! Nice vid and I must try a Paper plane someday. I love that Bourbon.
Definitely, love to hear about at home short cuts!
After having it in Vegas for the first time a few years ago I decided to make it at home.
Can’t believe how easy it is but very expensive to make.
Most cocktails are definitely easier to make than people think, but yeah, the tough part is getting/keeping the inventory on hand
Unfortunately I am allergic to penicillin 😢😂. I really like the format with history, choice of products, and technical reasons for mixing. Keep it up great resource.
I feel like this one might be ok for you 😉
How have I not found you? Perfect.
👋
A recipe for the ginger honey syrup would have been nice to have be seen.
Hey Jon! At the moment I do all of the prep at home as we’re not really set up to do it where we film, but maybe moving forward we could look at getting a little induction stove or something. I always keep the recipes really simple anyway! Thank you for the feedback 😊
I love the "So now you know"
Gets me every time!
Your channel always keeps me in good spirits :-D
So glad to hear that 🥂
@@BehindtheBar love Scotland as well. Played in a wee place called Irvine supporting Culann, that was a riot :-) it kind of reminds me of Sweden :-)
I'd love to see some videos that dive into making your own flavored syrups at home! ..do sugar syrups last very long in the fridge?
Definitely a good idea! Usually a couple of weeks. Straight sugar syrup can last a bit longer, but obviously anything with fruit in it can turn.
Appreciate your work and the channel. This is a great spot on this history of his drink and and his methodology is understandable. Honey, cane (sorghum) whiskey and ginger were often used in old mountain recipes for the same effect here in the US - to treat colds, for pleasure and as a 'cure all'. The Scots, Irish and Scot-Irish settlers used this base concoction quite a bit - however ginger came in from Charleston through the Anglican trade with the West Indies and was more rare. Ginseng was also added, so were cloves and anise - lemon came later. They had nothing as complicated as clarified milk punch, their ingredients stayed simple. So ... noticed you used two slices of candied ginger instead of three, does the old superstition apply only to olives as a garnish?
Thanks for that extra insight, super interesting! Haha well spotted...sometimes the aesthetics take priority over there superstition!
That looks delicious!
You should make one and let us know how it tasted!
New favorite channel… you voice is ads because as you are
Mmm! Ardbeg!
Mmm indeed!
Sounds like a very sophisticated cure for quite a lot.
This channel will either save me during Corona....or kill me. We shall see...
EDIT: can u do a Caipiroska vid?
I love smokey whiskies and I want to make this badly. I have an Octomore, and even if it probably will be way too funky for this, by god, I'm going to try it tonight.
Oooh it’ll be a big boy but I’m sure you can handle it 😜 maybe just go on the lighter side with the float!
@@BehindtheBar Tried it! With a barspoon of the 9.2. It was great, as you predicted. The more 'sour', fermented, 'ketchup and cheese'-type notes started playing with the lemon. It could use a stronger ginger syrup than I made, but the candies made up for it.
It was one complex drink...
the music is too loud. AWESOME ACCENT!!! THANKS FOR THE RECIPE!
Haha no problem!
What about johnnie Walker double black for the finish? It is very smoky..
That would definitely work!
@@BehindtheBar
Tanks! 😘
I love this! Paper plane is my favourite :)
Thank you, it's nice to hear you're liking the show. Maybe we should do a Paper Plane soon?
Yum😺
Thanks Spirit Genius!
Do you have an alternative to Ardbeg Ten for a smoky whisky
Sure, really anything peated works! Laphroaig, Talisker, Bowmore etc but you could also try a peated blend like Compass Box Peat Monster or Black Grouse for something a little easier on the wallet!
@@BehindtheBar Thanks a lot!!
Miss, you were born to educate.
If you like nutmeg then I highly recommend putting a little bit on top
Ooh good tip!
Please do more
Lots more coming Alex. New episodes every Tuesday. Anything in particular you’d like to see us make?
Can you tech me how to make a blude mare
Absolutely! I’ll put it on the list. I always approve of cocktails at breakfast.
Isn't it extremely satisfying to watch her videos to the end just to hear her say, "now you know", in her lovely accent?
👍
Hmm wonder what this would be like with a little Octomore on the top!
Delicious, I’d say!
Is honey and ginger syrup an off the shelf Product?
Hmm you know I’ve never actually seen it. I’ve definitely seen ginger ones from brands such as Monin which would be easy enough to blend with honey!
@@BehindtheBar maybe a video on this??
Ignore this I’ve found that you’ve already covered it 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I love your accent, too! :-P I have serveral whiskys here, will use a "Tullamore Dew" instead of Johnny Walker, and "Bunnahabhain Heavily Peated" to substitute the Ardbeg. But how can I make the Honey and Ginger Syrup?
They’re great substitutions! The easiest way is to chop up some ginger (about 1 inch per 500ml) and pop it in some honey water (cut honey 1:1 with hot water). Leave it in there overnight and strain in the morning 😊
@@BehindtheBar Thank's a lot, I will check it out! :-D
"Ardbeg is the smokiest of them all"
Laphroig: "Hold my beer."
You used Ardbeg instead of Laphroaig. I think I'm in love. Trust a Scot to know the way.
Another drink I have never heard of. Int
Yeah. Now I know I gotta go get some smokey whiskey 😏
Your accent…. 😍
Yasss!
And now I know
So now I know.
Can you tell us about the tatoos?
This is the first recipe I’ve seen using 50ml (instead of 60ml) of whisky for the base liquor. Is this done intentionally to make the drink less boozy?
Yeah just cause you’re adding the extra smoky whisky so it adds up to 60ml or so overall - if you’re pouring at home though go for it!
Thanks so much for this confirmation! I’ve been studying recipes and it seems like 60ml pour seems to be the standard for hard liquor. I also just realised that 60ml is more than a regular shot, so all this time drinking these drinks no wonder I get so tipsy!
So, I’ll listen to Cara make a drink while I fall asleep like a bedtime story. Is it wrong? Probably.
Not in the slightest!
nothing better than an irish woman teaching us how to drink, your man will be a one lucky guy for for sure
I usually drink whisky neat, but maybe I will try it mixed in a cocktail... p.s.: you are gorgeous
I love whisky neat too, but it’s nice to try something new!
When isn't it world cocktail day!?!
Amen!
*scowls in Laphroaig* :)
😂
O diva what a simple way to explain.You are like the goddess Varuni .
Please drop the music
Put oz conversions in your ingredients.
We’ve added them in later videos but it’s not a particularly hard conversion - 1oz = 30ml = 1 shot 😉
Hi
I'd even drink poison if you made it Cara Devine 🥺💗
Please don’t!! Haha
@@BehindtheBar dat means u making it, right? 😬😂😂😂
So now I know ;-), what's been bugging me quite frequently, why the name cocktail and what it has to do with cocks and tails. Ardbeg is great, classic Islay scotch, however I've also tried Talisker, which is also nice. I know that there is at least one more smoky, peaty whisky, Lagavulin, but I haven't tried this one yet. Had a long way from drinking cocktails, going through neat blended whiskys to being able to enjoy neat single malts (which are WAAAAY better than blends) including the smoky ones.
That's also funny how you can exercise you smelling and tasting sense and the more you drink the more individual aromas in the spirits you can name. At first it was just all burn, then it turned into telling one blend from the other and now I can easily say things like a classic entry level single malt - Glenfiddich 12 has a distinctive taste of green apple, ripe pears and a hint of citrus :D And yes, I'm kind of a whisky snob already :P When friends go for a JD Fire I'm like... meh, no...
Laphroaig would like a word in this smokiness discussion
Haha of course it’s got a claim for the crown! I just find the more medicinal/iodine flavours can overpower a bit, so stick with Ardbeg but Laphroaig would definitely work, I’d just go a bit lighter handed on it.
Behind the Bar I completely agree! To be honest its the only really smoky scotch I’ve ever tried so I just assumed it was that particular quality that I hated. I must try Ardberg then! There’s still hope for me lol
Honestly this is my new favorite channel. Thank you so much for all of the responses! Cool to learn from ppl who know their stuff!
Bruichladdich Octomore: Hold my penicillin!
John Francis so glad you’re enjoying! And yes, Octomore would take the ultimate crown but a bit less readily available!
BTW can u do asmr??????
asmr?
@@BehindtheBar something like this -->> ruclips.net/video/DxGlBTPEx5E/видео.html
Origin of the word 'Cocktail':
In a Grand Ball, a young British man is seen mixing various spirits and colorful juices in a state of absolute drunken stupor.
An older British gentleman notices and sneers, "Why, good heavens! You'll get yourself killed young chap if you drink that bloody cocktail of yours or whatever the devil of a potion that is!"
Young chap: "Bugger off, old man! I will bloody drink whatever I fancy. Might I suggest that you shut your pie hole, take your horses and leave at once?"
A journalist in monocle overhearing this conversation jots down the word "Cocktail" in his pocketbook and underlines it.
Haha I haven’t heard that one! But how did the old man come up with the word off the top of his head?!
@@BehindtheBar Perhaps, he was a wordsmith? After all he is English ;) Fun fact: most roosters' tails are monochromatic unlike their bodies!
Even if you made the Ginger Syrup off-site would have been good to (even briefly) discuss how you made it, or put that in the description. Love your videos, but if you are making people go elsewhere to find out how to make this drink (which they can't do by following the video as is) they could do that for the whole cocktail-- why watch it at all... (answer: accent, your personality...)
Why not just pour the smoky scotch over the big round ball of ice?
You could definitely do that!
I'm allergic to real Penicillin, so I'll try this instead.
Sounds like a plan.
Extremely difficult to understand you! Sorry!☹️ must be honest, why to subscribe to a page like this?
Hi Octa! Sorry to hear you’re having trouble understanding - is it the content or my accent? There should be subtitles if that helps 😊
I would listen even if you were reading a phonebook
February 2023 and the name of cocktail still appears as pen*s cylinder...
Why would I ever change that? Haha
Ardbeg is wonderful and can't be compared with Johnny Walker Black... Your video is misleading. At first, you say that you're using Ardbeg. Later, yeah say you're using Johnny Walker Black....
Or are you asking to mix the two?
Johnny Walker Black is the base spirit (the recipe calls for blended) and Ardbeg is the smoky Islay ‘float’ on top.