Why it works: Whisky and rum match in chemistry and in kitchens. They rank in the top 1% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 107 recipes. Both carry beta-damascenone, which smells apple, rose. The science ↓
Egg Nog
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks well.
Mix the sugar and whisky together.
Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks.
Make the eggnog
Add the egg whites to the mixture, then fold in the whipped cream.
Reserve a little whisky and cream for the next morning.
For best flavor, make it the night before.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Whisky + rumtop 1% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together107 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Sugar + creamtop 9% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together43,450 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
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Sugar + rumtop 14% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together2,908 recipes
Shared aroma: beta-damascenone (apple, rose).
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Cream + whiskytop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together258 recipes
Shared aroma: 2,3-butanedione (butter, sweet).
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Cream + rumtop 18% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together842 recipes
Shared aroma: delta-decalactone (sweet, creamy).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Eggs
- Yolks enrich the base and whites add lightness when folded in.
- Sugar
- Sweetens the drink and helps balance the alcohol's sharpness.
- Rich cream
- Adds fat and body, giving a smooth, rich texture when whipped and folded in.
- Whisky
- Provides alcohol flavor and aroma, and helps the sugar dissolve.
- Jamaica rum
- Adds a deeper, molasses-like aroma to the drink.
The step that matters
Folding in the whipped cream. Whipped cream and egg whites hold air, and stirring them vigorously deflates the foam. Gentle folding keeps the mixture light and smooth.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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