The recipe
for your table
Make the syrup: heat equal parts honey and water with fresh slices of ginger, let steep and strain.
Shake the blended Scotch, lemon juice and syrup with ice for 12 seconds.
Double strain into a tumbler with one large ice cube.
Carefully pour the Islay whisky over the rounded side of a bar spoon so that it floats on the cocktail; garnish with ginger.
The story
Australian bartender Sam Ross created the Penicillin in 2005 at Milk & Honey in New York, as a variation on the classic Whisky Sour featuring the flavors of a home remedy for a cold: honey, ginger and lemon. The float of smoky Islay malt on top was the genius finishing touch. The cocktail conquered the world within a few years and is now considered one of the most influential creations in modern cocktail history - not bad for a 'little medicine'.
The right glass
The Penicillin belongs in a low whisky glass with one large ice cube. Choose a 33 to 35 cl tumbler with a wide opening: it lets you smell the smoky layer first and then taste the honey and ginger - exactly the layering this cocktail is all about. A crystal glass with some weight at the base underlines the premium character of the whiskies used. You can find more low, wide models for one large ice cube in our old fashioned glasses.
Stölzle Lausitz Kyoto Tumbler 43 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Alkemist Tumbler 35 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets - together € 69,90.
The right tools
For a Penicillin, besides the glass you need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools - together € 89,75.
Variations & twists
Without the smoky float, it's a Gold Rush with ginger - also delicious, but missing the theater. Replace the Scotch with mezcal and you're drinking a Mexicanicillin. The honey-ginger syrup is your new secret weapon: also great in tea, lemonade and marinades. Want more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Save your expensive Islay for the float: you can barely taste the difference at the bottom, while on top it determines the entire experience. The honey-ginger syrup is also delicious in tea - make a double batch right away.
Make your own honey-ginger syrup
Peel a piece of ginger about five centimeters long and slice it thinly. Heat 15 cl honey with 15 cl water until just below the boiling point, add the ginger and let the mixture infuse off the heat for one hour. Strain out the slices and store the syrup in a clean bottle; it keeps for three to four weeks in the refrigerator. This makes enough for about fifteen cocktails. Make a double batch right away, because the same syrup is excellent in tea, lemonade and a marinade.
Which whisky: blended Scotch and Islay
The base is 5 cl blended Scotch, so no bourbon and no rye. A blend such as Famous Grouse or Monkey Shoulder is light, grainy and smooth enough to carry the honey and ginger; bourbon's sweet vanilla clashes with the smoke and makes the whole thing sticky. The 0.5 cl float is a smoky Islay single malt, such as Laphroaig or Ardbeg. For that, do use a good bottle, because that half-centiliter determines the aroma you encounter first with every sip.
The smoky float with a bar spoon
After straining the shaken cocktail over one large ice cube, hold a bar spoon with the bowl facing upward just above the surface. Pour the 0.5 cl Islay very slowly over it, so the whisky spreads out and stays floating instead of sinking through. An ordinary teaspoon works too. Do not stir afterward: the layer should remain intact until the glass reaches your nose. This way, you smell the smoke first and then taste the honey and ginger.
Make ahead for a group
For eight glasses, mix 40 cl blended Scotch, 16 cl fresh lemon juice, and 16 cl honey-ginger syrup in a bottle and add 15 cl water for the dilution normally achieved through shaking. Chill for at least three hours. Pour about 11 cl per glass over one large ice cube. Always add the Islay float per glass just before serving, because the smoke disappears from a batch within an hour. Lemon juice stays fresh for about a day, so mix it on the day itself.
Frequently asked questions
What is the recipe for a cocktail with penicillin?
The Penicillin consists of 5 cl blended Scotch whisky, 2 cl fresh lemon juice, and 2 cl honey-ginger syrup, shaken and double-strained over one large ice cube, with 0.5 cl smoky Islay single malt floated on top. Garnish with candied ginger. It is a cocktail, not a medicine.
What is the history of the Penicillin cocktail?
Australian bartender Sam Ross created the Penicillin in 2005 at Milk & Honey in New York, as a variation on the Whisky Sour featuring the flavors of a home remedy for a cold: honey, ginger, and lemon. The smoky float on top made it world-famous.
How do you make honey-ginger syrup?
Warm equal parts honey and water with fresh slices of ginger, let the mixture infuse, and strain the syrup. You need 2 cl per cocktail. The syrup is also delicious in tea, so make a double batch right away and store it covered in the refrigerator.
What glass do you use for a Penicillin?
A lowball glass or tumbler holding 33 to 35 cl, with a wide opening and one large ice cube. This lets you smell the smoky layer first and then taste the honey and ginger, capturing the cocktail's layered character; see our whiskey glasses.
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