I’m not a huge whiskey fan. You know how people (usually men, it seems) will just pour some whiskey into a glass, maybe with ice, and just sip that? Yeah, I totally don’t do that.
So I don’t know what I was thinking when I bought a bottle of Johnnie Walker Black way back when, but it’s on my counter. I guess I thought it would be useful for something. Well, it hasn’t had much use. Until last week, when I tried making some cocktails using this blended scotch whiskey.
Now this first cocktail is supposed to be made with Jack Daniel’s, but I figured it wouldn’t be such a sin to substitute Johnnie Walker for Jack Daniel’s. I’m sure Mr. Daniel is spinning in his grave, if he is reading this post.
Lynchburg Lemonade
1 oz whiskey
1 oz triple sec
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz simple syrup
4 oz Sprite
lemon slice
Maraschino cherry
It actually really did taste like lemonade, with a hint of whiskey. The triple sec and simple syrup made it pleasantly sweet, and then the lemon juice and Sprite gave it that lemonade flavor. I wonder how this would go with some other liquor, like vodka or something.
I’ve made the Milk and Honey before, but since I liked it a lot the first time, I made it again.
Milk and Honey
20 ml hot milk
20 ml honey
1 fig
0.5 oz lime juice
1.75 oz whiskey
fig quarter
You’re supposed to use single malt whiskey for this, but I cheated yet again with blended scotch whiskey. I think it still works with scotch whiskey. The honey and fig flavors go so well together, with the lime and fig both giving it a fresh taste, balanced with the milky flavor. But I forgot my own thought from the first time of reducing the amount of whiskey…
Finally, I tried something called the Oriental Cocktail.
Oriental Cocktail
1 oz blended scotch whiskey
0.5 oz sweet vermouth
0.5 oz triple sec
juice of 1/2 lime
The triple sec and vermouth added just enough sweetness to this drink, and the tartness of the lime went well with the scotch whiskey flavor, surprisingly. I was actually pleasantly surprised by this drink. From the ingredient list, I did not think it would taste that great, with the vermouth mixed with whiskey, but somehow it all worked.
I’m still not a whiskey fan, but it turns out that it can make some pretty decent cocktails.