You don't have to fly across the Atlantic to drink like you're in a proper UK cocktail bar. You just have to walk into Roch's Reprieve.
Mike, originally from just outside Birmingham, England, has been behind the bar at Roch's Reprieve for going on two years now. He's been in the States for close to a decade, but he brought something with him from home. And it might be one of the best cocktails on the menu.
The Blood and Sand is a classic British cocktail that's been around for over a hundred years. It's built with scotch whiskey, sweet vermouth, Luxardo cherry liqueur, and fresh orange juice. Four ingredients, each one pulling its own weight.
The scotch brings that smoky, peaty backbone. The sweet vermouth adds warmth. The Luxardo cherry liqueur drops in a deep red berry sweetness. And the orange juice rounds the whole thing out with a bright, citrusy finish that keeps it from getting too heavy. Every sip hits you with something different.
And here's the thing. Even if you think you don't like scotch, you'll love this drink. The cherry and orange juice smooth out the peatiness into something way more approachable than a straight pour. It's sweet, it's a little sour, and it all just works together. The scotch is there, but it's not fighting you. Mike calls it a drink that has everything you could possibly want in a good cocktail. He's not wrong.
Mike builds it in a shaker with ice, gives it a good shake, and strains it into a coupe glass. A cherry on top. Served up. Clean. Classic. The color alone is worth ordering it.
That first sip, you get the red berry up front from the cherry liqueur. Then the peatiness from the scotch comes through, that gritty, sandy quality that gives the drink its name. The sweet vermouth fills out the middle, and the OJ adds a sweet brightness at the finish. Multiple flavors hitting your palate, every single sip.
Most people think of a Pimm's Cup when they think of classic British cocktails. The Blood and Sand is the other one. Good luck finding it in New Orleans. Mike's making them right here at Roch's Reprieve inside St. Roch Market. Come sit at the bar and let him make you one.