Tag: whisky

Whisky

Canadian Whisky

Canadian whisky has been around for a very long time and is the number one spirit imported into the United States. It currently accounts for 11.5% of spirit consumption in the US and only trails behind vodka for market share. The key reason for this is the smooth nature of Canadian whisky. For most people, drinking is a casual affair, […]

Whisky

Johnnie Walker Blue Label

This is one of those spirits that either gets rave reviews or boos and hisses. Some people think that the price point of Blue Label is a ripoff, while others see that it represents something more than just the liquid in the bottle. It is true that Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a blended scotch, which automatically nix’s this spirit […]

Cocktails

Bourbon & Birch

Another Mixology Monday is upon us, with the topic being Bourbon and our host being Scofflaw’s Den. When I think of bourbon, I sometimes reminisce about the perception it has compared to Canadian whiskies. Bourbon is bold, fiery and strong; Canadian whiskies are light, easy going and smooth. Obviously this isn’t going to apply to all whiskies from either category, […]

Whisky

Corby’s Royal Reserve

Royal Reserve is the name of a whisky distilled by Corby’s, a major Canadian distiller that was bought by Hiram Walker a few years ago. With all the mergers going on in the spirit world, it’s hard to say who owns Corby now. The one thing that Corby has done is create some good Canadian whiskies, including the Canadian Whisky […]

How to make a Rye & Ginger
Soda

Rye and Ginger

A simple highball that is easy drinking, but still interesting. The spicy character of real rye whisky compliments the spiciness of the ginger. It was like they were made for one another.

Soda

Scotch & Soda

The Scotch and Soda is a very popular drink for those neophyte imbibers who appreciate the flavour of Scotch, but don’t enjoy it enough to drink it neat or on the rocks. Obviously, you can use any type of Scotch you would like, but for most people, a blended type like Johnnie Walker Red or Black and Famous Grouse do […]

Cocktails, History

Wet Grave

An opportunity to present drink history to the bar community in New Orleans always inspires my creativity. With so many great bartenders and mixologists churning out great cocktails, my efforts are less public than they once were. I’ve eschewed the shotgun approach for the more refined sniper tactics. The Wet Grave is one of those bullseye cocktails that combines everything […]

Science

Ability to Distinguish Whisky from Brandy

This is the second part of a write up on a persons ability to distinguish one spirit from another. Part one was Malt vs Blended whisky and this part is brandy vs whiskey. In the first research paper, it was concluded that an inexperienced whisky drinker could not distinguish between a single malt or blended scotch. Also, experienced whisky drinkers […]

Whisky

Distinguishing Between Malt and Blended Whisky

Part I Many people assume that they can tell the difference between two, seemingly different, spirits. But the question is whether they are being a “posers” or a skilled drinker. People who are involved in the scotch world often refer to someone who will only drink single malt whiskies, as “malt snobs”. Some people chose to be a malt snob […]

Whisky

Whisky Tasting

After the last two posts (Malt vs. Blend and Whisky vs Cognac) I think it would be good to tie up some loose ends and discuss some of the good comments that were posted. The one thing that these two simple research papers show is that tasting spirits, at least whisky and brandy are more difficult than we generally think. […]