Neil's Penicillin

I would have assumed this drink came from the ’20s or ’30s—I don’t know, it just sounds like a code name used by men in long coats during Prohibition. The fact that penicillin itself wasn’t invented until 1928 doesn’t really sway my belief here. It still feels like it should be ordered under one’s breath with some sort of continental accent. But in fact, as far as cocktails go, this is a really new cocktail. Like, so new that if this cocktail were a person, it still couldn’t legally order a cocktail in America.

Thanks to the single malt splash, this cocktail announces itself before you’ve even taken a sip. It’s serious and it's strong. But that’s misleading—once your nose has calmed down and you’re actually sipping this drink, it’s actually quite fresh and tart with a warming sweetness. And it’s incredibly well named, as almost everything in it is something that would remedy the common cold. Ginger? Check. Honey? Check. Lemon? Yup. Scotch? I mean, to some people, for sure. So once again, here I am offering you an essential health aid in the form of a cocktail. You’re welcome.

—Neil & David

Recipe excerpted from “Both Sides of the Glass: Paired Cocktails and Mocktails to Toast Any Taste” Copyright © 2025 by David Burtka, Inc., and Neil Patrick Harris