I love freshly squeezed blood orange juice in cocktails, but it can be hard to find blood oranges at local supermarkets sometimes. So keep this between us, okay? We wouldn’t want everyone else to go buy them out, would we?

The Blood & Sand is a classic Scotch whisky recipe that first appeared in Harry Craddock’s Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930, and apparently it was named for a 1922 Rudolf Valentino silent film of the same name. It’s not a drink for everyone, just as Scotch whisky isn’t everyone’s favorite spirit, but it has plenty of fans.

The original recipe called for equal portions of blended Scotch and the other ingredients, and the orange juice would have been conventional orange juice, not blood orange. The drink’s fans have generally increased the quantity and quality of the Scotch employed, sometimes upgrading from blended to single malt. In this case, I used a combination of Famous Grouse blended Scotch and Laphroaig single malt for its smokey, peated flavors.

Your mileage may vary. Feel free to adjust until you find a recipe you like!

BLOODY BLOOD & SAND

¾ oz Blended Scotch
½ oz Islay/peaty single malt Scotch whisky
¾ oz Heering Cherry Liqueur
¾ oz Sweet vermouth
1 oz Blood orange juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and fine-strain into chilled Martini glass or coupe. Garnish with orange zest and a Luxardo Maraschino Cherry.