Perhaps I’m a bit slow on the uptake – scratch that. I am without a doubt a bit slow on the uptake, but I am also capable of getting into a rut without realizing it. In this case, it was a well-intentioned, and apparently well-ingrained habit of drinking my whisky neat, or at most with a splash of water. On the hottest days, I might subject a light whisky or a robust bourbon or rye to a single ice cube. But at no point did the idea of significant dilution figure into things.
The seed for experimentation was planted with a Twitter message from my virtual (only in the sense that we’ve only communicated online, rather than sitting down and enjoying each other’s company over good food and drink) friend Todd Abrams (@Swigs_ and well worth following), one of the very talented team behind the excellent Gourmet Underground blog (which grew out of his and Evan Hansen’s blog Swigs). After reading several cocktail posts (a subset of libations I’ve generally eschewed since an ill-fated freshman year experiment to drink our way alphabetically through Mr. Boston . . .), I asked Todd for a book recommendation or two from which to begin exploring cocktails. His response (paraphrased) made an immediate impact on my whisky drinking prejudice – there are no good books – you like whisky, so start experimenting there – Manhattans and the such.
Cocktails with whisky? But I only have “good stuff” that should not be drunk any way other than neat. So, I mentally filed away Todd’s advice (and kept a keen eye out for some decent sweet Vermouth to take up his Manhattan challenge). I did drop $50 on a bottle each of Rothman & Winter Creme de Violette and Luxardo to make a whole bunch of Aviations a la Swigs (the post which sparked my cocktail book recommendation question).
I did finally pick up a bottle of Dolin Sweet Vermouth, but haven’t gotten around to making a Manhattan yet. I did, however, see a tweet from someone I follow about them enjoying highballs lately (can’t remember who & searching for it didn’t work – let me know & I’m happy to amend the post to give credit!). With the warm late summer days, and not quite cool enough for neat whisky nights, this lodged somewhere in my brain. It was brought home when I was meandering the almost overwhelming whisky selection at the Wine and Cheese Place on Saturday. Guilt over the number of unfinished bottles of whisky in the basement prevented me from picking up a new bottle but my feeble brain did manage to remember to buy a bottle of club soda to run a highball experiment with some of the orphan bottles I had at home.
So, last night I dared to add club soda to whisky, and it was good. So far, I’ve tried it on two bottlings I haven’t poured a dram of in about a year – Arran Non-Chill Filtered (which I find a bit butyric straight up) and the SMWS bottle I got upon joining – a cask strength Auchentoshan that always seemed hot and a bit feinty. In highball form both were a hell of a lot better than any prior experience I’d had with them. Downright enjoyable in fact. I’m quite sure that had I not taken this step, these two bottles would have sat for years more on my shelf until I finally got sick of seeing them there and poured them down the drain. Being served with soda is undoubtedly a more noble fate than that!
Am I completely over my aversion to mixing things into whisky? No. But, I think the door is finally unlocked to some serious experimentation on my part. And I’m looking forward to it.
My buddy Cameron has the most strict rules for Manhattans that I’ve ever seen. Its something to watch him in a new bar — you know what he’s gonna order and you know how the rest of your stay is gonna be like depending on what ends up in his glass.
Did you see Chuck Friedhoff infused Knob Creek with fresh peaches this summer?
Nope. Missed the Friedhoff piece. Now that whisky cocktails are officially on the radar, I’ll keep eyes peeled.
I had a client in Baton Rouge, an older, gentlemanly HR Director who was a huge fan of the Old Fashioned – NOT SWEET (that being how he placed his order). Much woe was awaiting a bartender who ignored his instructions, albeit delivered in a measured drawl that, while less obvious than being shouted at, certainly left the impression of having bitterly disappointed your sweet grandfather and shamed The South by your inability to fulfill his simple request.
Despite my preference for beer, I continue to be a complete sucker for a well-made Old Fashioned. There’s a tendency here in Missouri to consider that an old fogey drink, but up in Wisconsin they’re enjoyed by a much fuller age range. And, obviously, the bartenders at The Old Fashioned up in Madison excell at making ‘em.
Now here’s the curveball that you didn’t see coming: I prefer mine to be made with brandy. And make sure the bitters are good quality, too. TW&CP carries a good variety of Fee Brothers bitters, if you’re curious.
I’d honestly never made the connection between the name of the restaurant and the drink! Too funny. I guess all those WI taps clouded my brain (not that it takes much).
I do have a bottle of Fee Brothers bitters downstairs (unopened . . . ) from a previous unfulfilled attempt to dive into cocktails. My have an Old Fashioned this weekend. Maybe two – one with whisky, one with Cognac – just to try out your suggestion.
Oh, and the highball also works with Glenfarclas 105 – still lots of flavor there, but not so raisiny and hot (obviously on the last one).
Hey, thanks for all the kind words, Dave! One day we will have a drink or five in real life.
Did I really say there were no good cocktail books? There are plenty, though my favorite is out of print. I’m hoping my point was that your growth should stem from an interest in drinking, not reading.
I drink Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey and soda water all the time at a ratio of about 1:5. It’s a completely different drink than the straight KC. You really get all the fruitiness that is kind of suppressed by the alcohol.
Since you have a bottle of Luxardo Maraschino and sweet vermouth try this:
2 oz. bourbon (I use Evan Williams single barrel or Buffalo Trace. Check out our blind tasting notes if you haven’t yet: http://www.undergrounddetroit.com/2010/03/five-bourbons-blind.html )
½ oz. maraschino
½ oz. sweet vermouth
Dash of Angostura bitters (optional)
Serve over a few cubes of ice.
Cheers!
You did say that, but feel free to blame that 140 character limit thing. Your point was well made though, and really got me thinking about these things in the right way – that is jumping off from what I already like, rather than treating cocktails as something altogether foreign and having (or needing) to start from ground zero.
Buffalo Trace is my “house” bourbon, so I’ve always got that around! Will try that cocktail soon.
I’ve just gotten into whiskeys and bourbons and love my Old Fashioned’s. Any suggestions on where they know how to make them in STL. Most places just give me a blank stare. Once I got jack, ice and a cherry.
TW&CP does have a good selection of mixers, as does Randalls in NoCo. I have been stopping there lately as it’s convenient for me.
Also, any opinion on Jack Single Barrel? I was bought a bottle for Xmas and it was amazing.
Jim, thanks for commenting. I don’t know of any place in St. Louis that can mix a good old-fashioned, but I’ve asked some folks who might know for recommendations. I’ll let you know what I hear.
Never tried the Jack Single Barrel. I’ll add it to the list. Thanks for the suggestion!
Hey Dave,
I’m reading this post a few months late (but better late than never, right?)! I was exactly like you about drinking good whiskey neat. No other way; sometimes a cube of ice if it’s warm.
But I have to say I had an absolute revelation over the holidays. My dad, who listened to a podcast on mixing cocktails, bought top shelf ingredients for two of his favorites: a Manhattan and a Negroni. He mixed me both and he won me over. I’ll have to find out what he used for vermouth because it made all the difference. That and the gin, in particular, for the Negroni–it was truly a beautifully crafted drink. Worth blending the non-blendable for!!
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