Drambuie

A Dark chocolate shell filled with Dark chocolate Drambuie ganache. 

I traveled to Scotland years ago.  It was an amazing trip full of castles, Harry Potter, highland hills and lochs, and even a visit to, and lesson from, one of the last sheep herders who trains and uses sheep dogs.  So many fascinating stories. However, since you can't (or maybe shouldn't?) make a chocolate themed around sheep dogs, I have chosen a different story from our trip...the story of Drambuie.  While visiting the the Isle of Skye, our tour guide told us the Scottish folklore tale of how Drambuie came to be.  It went something like this...

In 1745 the Scottish Highlands carried more than mist — they carried war. Charles Edward Stuart, known to history as Bonnie Prince Charlie, had come to Scotland to reclaim the British throne for his father. His army marched with in with hope but was shattered at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

Defeated and hunted, the Prince fled into the wild Highlands and islands of Scotland, aided by loyal clans. For months he hid in caves, crofters’ cottages, and heather-covered hills, slipping through the grasp of government soldiers.

It was during this time, legend says, that he carried with him a treasured recipe — a fortified whisky infused with herbs, spices, and honey. It was no ordinary dram. It warmed the bones against Atlantic winds and lifted spirits in the darkest hours.

Eventually, the Prince found refuge on the Isle of Skye, sheltered by the MacKinnon clan. There he met Captain John MacKinnon of Strathaird.

Before the Prince slipped away to France in disguise, he is said to have given Captain MacKinnon the recipe as a token of gratitude. 

Over generations, the MacKinnon family guarded the formula. They refined it quietly, passing it down not on parchment, but by memory and trust.

In the 1870s, James Ross, an innkeeper on Skye, reportedly adjusted the formula for commercial production, blending aged Scotch whisky with heather honey and a carefully guarded mix of herbs and spices. By the early 20th century, the name was anglicized to “Drambuie,” and the liqueur began appearing in Edinburgh and beyond. Its flavor was unlike anything else — sweet yet complex, herbal yet smooth — carrying with it the romance of rebellion and the misty memory of a prince on the run.

We may never know how much of the story is fact and how much is Highland lore but we can enjoy the flavor none the less.  May this Drambuie bon-bon inspire tales of princes, secret recipes, folklore stories, and excitement for new adventures.