The Penicillin is a modern classic whisky sour built on ginger heat, bright lemon, and a gentle layer of smoke. It hits that perfect cold-weather sweet spot: warming, aromatic, and just rich enough without turning heavy.
This version leans on Top Hat Extra Spicy Ginger Beer Syrup for clean, cold-pressed ginger flavor and balanced spice, then layers honey, citrus, and a mist of smoky Islay Scotch or zero proof alternative. It’s a bar-quality Penicillin you can shake at home with just a few tools.
Think of the Penicillin as a Gold Rush with more edge: bright lemon and honey, lifted by intense ginger and finished with a veil of smoke. Using Top Hat Extra Spicy Ginger Beer Syrup keeps the ginger profile consistent every time—no muddling, juicing, or guessing.
Method
- Add 1.5–2 oz Blended Scotch or Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative to a shaker.
- Add 1 oz Top Hat Extra Spicy Ginger Beer Syrup.
- Add 0.75 oz fresh pressed lemon juice and 0.5 oz honey simple syrup.
- Fill the shaker completely with ice.
- Shake hard for 10–12 seconds until well chilled and lightly aerated.
- Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
- Finish with 3 mist pumps smoky Islay single malt Scotch or zero proof alternative over the top.
- Express a lemon peel over the glass, garnish, and serve.
Pro move: Start at 1.5 oz Scotch for a softer sour; bump to 2 oz and add an extra mist pump if you like bigger smoke and spirit-forward structure.