Scottish Pear Cocktail

A Scotch Cocktail that mixes scotch and gin with pear juice, lemon juice, and a touch of agave nectar for a touch of sweetness. A delicious cocktail for any occasion!

The first time that I tried a Scottish Pear Cocktail was at a restaurant in Saint Louis called the Scottish Arms. I’m not really a person who drinks cocktails very often. I prefer a good Single Malt Scotch, neat.

I don’t have a favorite Scotch. There are so many varieties and each is so distinct in flavor. It really depends on my mood which Scotch I will reach for.

Sometimes I want something smoking and peaty, reminding me of the years that I burned peat in my fireplace in my small house in Scotland.

Sometimes I’m in the mood for a Scotch that is lighter and smooth, sometimes spicy and warm. Luckily, there is a Scotch for each of these moods.

My first Scotch Cocktail

My husband and I don’t make it to Scottish Arms often but we so enjoy the authentic and delicious food as well as the atmosphere. If you have ever wanted to try haggis, try it at the Scottish Arms – you won’t regret it! Their haggis is absolutely delicious!

We always get the Highland Gathering as our appetizer so that we can enjoy each of our favorites – haggis fritters, scotch eggs, forfar bridies and garlic, and brie baguette. This is the perfect way to ease someone into traditional Scottish favorites!

Several years ago, on one of our visits to the Scottish Arms, I decided to try a cocktail instead of ordering straight up Scotch (I usually splurge on the really good stuff like Laphroig Lore or something else that we don’t have at home when we go there!). The server recommended the Scottish Pear.

I LOVED it!

The server quickly told me what was in this cocktail and I attempted to make a mental note of the ingredients. Of course, he didn’t tell me the exact recipe so I drank two, just to make sure that I would remember what it tasted like!

Creating a facsimile

A couple of weeks later, I attempted to make my own Scottish Pear at home. I played with the proportions and made a reasonable facsimile of the cocktail that I was happy with.

Then I made the excuse that we had to go back for dinner so that I could make sure that I had nailed it.

But they didn’t serve the Scottish Pear anymore! Apparently, it was a specialty and they only had it on the menu for a short time!

Of course, they have other amazing cocktails and an extensive Scotch menu to choose from so I will always be happy with what is on offer at The Scottish Arms.

And now I can make a Scottish Pear at home anytime I crave one with the recipe below.

A Scotch Cocktail for non-Scotch drinkers

My husband and I have shared our love of Scotch with a lot of family and friends. Scotch is an acquired taste for some and it is very strong, especially if you are drinking it neat.

Several people that are not acquainted with Scotch have wrinkled their nose at the tiniest sip of the best single malt because they just aren’t used to the strength of the alcohol and the flavors. Peaty and smoky Scotches ( like Ardbeg, Bowmore, Talisker, and Caol Ila, to name a few) offer an unexpected flavor to someone that is new Scotch – or Whiskey – whichever name you choose!

So in order to break people in slowly, I usually make them a Scottish Pear. Using Glenfiddich 12 Year, you’ll get the flavor of scotch without overwhelming peat or other flavors. The gin adds an earthiness (Hendricks will always be my favorite) while the pear juice and agave nectar bring the sweetness. A touch of lemon to balance it all out and you will convert anyone to become a Scotch drinker!

You can switch out the types of Scotch and Gin if you like. You can also add more or less pear juice to suit your tastes. I like 3 ounces of pear juice in my Scottish Pear but for newbies to Scotch, I will start with 4 ounces of juice.

EVERYONE that has ever tried this cocktail has loved it and asked for more. Make sure that you have plenty of the ingredients on hand because they will disappear quickly!

I served this cocktail to my two sisters-in-law on Thanksgiving last year. Neither of them drinks Scotch. But I ran out of Gin and pear juice after several drinks for both of them. (I never run out of Scotch – that will never be allowed to happen!)

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Enjoy this Scotch Cocktail! Slainte!