Whisky/Whiskey and . . . . Soda?

[HawkeyeLinus]

I enjoy very much the occasional single malt whisky. Also enjoy the Red Breast Irish whiskey that is slowly disappearing.

Two things, if anyone wants to share:

1. Although I usually enjoy it straight or with a bit of water, just depends (and nothing scientific, lol), I've honestly never had it with soda and figuring I should try that and so my question is what is your favorite carbonated mixer of choice? Is the sodium in club soda really a flavor killer (yep, reading too much on the internet)? Is something other than club soda a better alternative for taste and carbonation? Favorite "recipe"?

2. I'm looking to try some Irish Whiskies and any recommendations would be very welcome.

Thanks!!

 

[ofafeather]

2. I'm looking to try some Irish Whiskies and any recommendations would be very welcome.

Can’t answer 1 but for 2 there was a great thread on this not that long ago. I will see if I can find it. I really enjoy Glendalough Double Bartel Irish Whisky. Their gin is great as well.

 

[Laurent]

I drink my bourbon neat. If it’s a under aged bourbon, I’ll use a cube to cut the harshness. I like highland scotches, Aberlour, Glenmorangie, which I drink neat. I don’t like other scotches that are peaty or smokey, because to me they taste of dirt and bandaids. If I do a mix drink, I use a lower end bourbon and make a old fashion.
2oz bourbon
Small touch of maple syrup
Three drips of orange bitters
And a cherry.

​

 

[ofafeather]

Can’t answer 1 but for 2 there was a great thread on this not that long ago. I will see if I can find it. I really enjoy Glendalough Double Bartel Irish Whisky. Their gin is great as well.

This is the thread I mentioned on Irish Whisky What Irish Whiskey do You Like or Recommend I Try? :: Food & Drink - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/what-irish-whiskey-do-you-like-or-recommend-i-try.82857/#post-36316891

 

[SmokeClouds]

Drinking whisk(e)y and soda is a very old practice, called a highball. My preference is to use a peated whisky for this preparation, as Laphroaig, Ardbeg, Talisker etc., matured in ex bourbon casks. I find that whiskies matured exclusively in sherry seasoned casks don’t hold well to the dilution of club soda.
Yes, the sodium content will change the taste.
A very popular highball in Japan, were the drink was elevated to art, is Talisker 10, ice, club soda and freshly cracked black pepper. Excellent drink in my opinion.
That said, ice quality in Japan is exceptional and carbonated waters are very varied in mineral content.

 

[Streeper541]

I almost exclusively drink Irish Whiskey and Red Breast is one of my favorites...
Powers Gold Label is my general, go to whiskey.
The Sexton is a relatively new, and smooth single-malt.
If I can't find my usual, I keep Teeling's & Tullamore D.E.W. on hand
I pull out Tyrconnell on special occasions.
Green Spot is pretty good, especially for someone who drinks on ice.

Sláinte!

 

[TheIronMonkey]

I can't help with a carbonated recommendation because I don't use soda with my whiskies. I always start with a neat pour to experience things as is; sometimes I'll add a drop of water to open things up—if I do that, I'll use a regional Scottish water appropriate to the whisky if possible, and filtered water for bourbons, ryes, Irish, etc. Trial and error comes into play, as not all whisky or cask strength benefits from the addition of water. The important thing to remember is there are no set rules. Drink it how you enjoy it best.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

The Sexton is a relatively new, and smooth single-malt.

My wine club had a tasting of whiskeys, and Sexton was everyone's favorite... except for Bob, who only liked cheap shit. I really liked it too. But, I quickly learned that the few drops it took to taste 12 whiskeys was enough to make me sick, ha ha. I won't be doing that again. But, at least I learned a bunch about whisky... I won't be drinking any, ha ha.

 

[monty55]

IMO, mixing a single malt Scotch with anything is like mixing a fine English tobacco blend with some Aromatic. It's just wrong.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

This is the thread I mentioned on Irish Whisky What Irish Whiskey do You Like or Recommend I Try? :: Food & Drink - https://pipesmagazine.com/forums/threads/what-irish-whiskey-do-you-like-or-recommend-i-try.82857/#post-36316891

Thanks!

 

[mso489]

I'm hardly a whisky/whiskey devotee, but I prefer Bushnell to Jameson, which seems to irritate my plumbing on the way out, if you take my meaning. Nice flavor in in both, but I think Bushnell is a little more mellow, too.

 

[JOHN72]

I only like whiskey on the rocks or neat, just straight up. If I mix it, then I'm violating its real taste and I don't like that. I usually use Jameson to make an Irish coffee, it is the only exception.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

IMO, mixing a single malt Scotch with anything is like mixing a fine English tobacco blend with some Aromatic. It's just wrong.

I'd always agreed with that and taken my lead from one of my favorite Michaleen Oge Flynn quotes, until I was introduced to the differences of adding a little water on occasion and found out that could make a difference I liked. I asked my oldest daughter last weekend, who kind of gets into spirits a bit, what she thought about whisky and soda, thinking she might have tips and her answer, "Why?"

LOL, so I figured I'd take my chances with you all here!

A "taste" of a great scene from a great movie:

 

[mso489]

Again, I'm not a big whisky guy, but since most whiskey is strenuously blended, dressing it up with other alcoholic beverages and other cocktail ingredients seems like a waste of money. If you want to concoct fancy cocktails, maybe vodka, rum, tequila, and such are a better starting place, but maybe not all together. A good single malt Scotch is desecrated by mixing, to me.

 

[LotusEater]

You might like Connemara its kind of unique in that it’s a peated Irish single malt. I love peated scotch but I really enjoy this Irish too - it’s different enough to be interesting.

​

 

[warren]

Jameson, neat.

 

[solideogloria86]

You lost me at "&".

 

[Egg Shen]

I enjoy very much the occasional single malt whisky. Also enjoy the Red Breast Irish whiskey that is slowly disappearing.

Two things, if anyone wants to share:

1. Although I usually enjoy it straight or with a bit of water, just depends (and nothing scientific, lol), I've honestly never had it with soda and figuring I should try that and so my question is what is your favorite carbonated mixer of choice? Is the sodium in club soda really a flavor killer (yep, reading too much on the internet)? Is something other than club soda a better alternative for taste and carbonation? Favorite "recipe"?

2. I'm looking to try some Irish Whiskies and any recommendations would be very welcome.

Thanks!!

I like introducing a dollop of sparking mineral water, Gerolsteiner if I have my druthers due to mineral content. I would never mix any scotch with a soda or cola. Bourbon or rye whiskey sure, but the peat just doesn’t mix with anything that I’m aware of. I guess if you’re bent on mixing something maybe make a whisky sour by adding San Pelegrino Limonada

 

[beef]

I am pretty sure the soda that is used for mixing comes from a seltzer bottle that you either order to your home or make with CO2 cartridges. When you make it at home, it has none of the club soda additives and,so, there is no change in flavour. I find the bubbles to be much finer and it has an almost silky texture when mixed with alcohol. Scotch and soda like this is really good. With club soda, it's not so good.

 

[ofafeather]

I am pretty sure the soda that is used for mixing comes from a seltzer bottle that you either order to your home or make with CO2 cartridges. When you make it at home, it has none of the club soda additives and,so, there is no change in flavour. I find the bubbles to be much finer and it has an almost silky texture when mixed with alcohol. Scotch and soda like this is really good. With club soda, it's not so good.

That’s really interesting. Will have to try that.