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Teach me to drink whiskey!
Jimmy King
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, having grown my beer tastes over the last couple years so that I can enjoy the darkest porters and stouts to the most bitter IPAs I have decided it's time to move on to liquor. Not mixed drinks, I'm perfectly good at knocking back screwdrivers and whiskey sours, but straight liquor. Whiskey is where I'd like to start. Plain old whiskey, scotch, bourbon, whatever. Everyone drinks that stuff from cultured gentlemen to drunk scottsmen to cowboys.
I've got a bottle of Jim Beam Black and was out of sour mix this weekend, so figured I'd give that a try. I poured myself 2 or 3 tall shooter glasses worth into a glass and got to sipping. It was not terribly enjoyable. So teach me how to enjoy this like a manly man.
I've got a bottle of Jim Beam Black and was out of sour mix this weekend, so figured I'd give that a try. I poured myself 2 or 3 tall shooter glasses worth into a glass and got to sipping. It was not terribly enjoyable. So teach me how to enjoy this like a manly man.
Jimmy King on
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That's pretty much how I got to enjoy it.
Jameson is alright, but I've only drank it the once when I was at their distillery in Dublin, so I can't really give a final verdict on it.
Glenn is the tits as well.
:^:
Also a thumbs up for saying "streets behind"
i'd try it with water or ice (my preferred way) until you get to the really good (read: expensive) stuff
for cheap stuff, i like Jameson... about the same cost as Jim Beam black but much smoother IMHO
Johnny Walker (whatever color fits your budget) seems to go down easy too.
You'll want to try any whiskey neat and then with a bit of water, as the water will bring out some different flavors/aromas.
Take it with you to work.
In Canada they seem to be about the same price. (Well, LCBO says Glenfiddich is $1 more for 750ml than Jameson.)
Battletag: Kain#1658
I would stay clear oh Johnny Walker Red for a person who wants to enjoy their first foray into whisky. If you have to drink scotch on the cheap, go with Famous Grouse, otherwise get some decent Irish whiskey like Jameson's or some excellent bourbon like Woodford Reserve for about ten dollars more.
Bourbon is a horrible abomination against the taste buds, though if you've got a corn-syrup infected palate, I'm sure the sweetness may not cause you to vomit.
Johnnie walker red similarly offends me sensibilities and should be ashamed to call itself a scotch. I will accept black mixed with coke if that's all a bar serves. Blue is quite drinkable, but you're better off spending your money on something much cheaper for the same quality.
I'm generally of the opinion that most blended whiskeys aren't fit for much more than further blending with coke, followed by a vodka shot to wash the taste away (ie, Dan's express road to drunk-ville).
There are some good blends - Chivas Regal is a decent widely available whiskey. Really mild flavour that's easy to drink but still tastes like scotch should - a great starter whiskey. I'd say start here on your journey.
Jamesons and Glenfiddich are both fine drinks, and exhibit some of the stronger (and harsher) whiskey flavours that you get from a single malt. They're both fairly good examples of what you should expect from a whiskey. The difference between an irish and a scotch whiskey is mainly nothing to concern yourself with. I'm much more partial to Glenfiddich, but I wouldn't laugh at you if you preferred Jamesons.
My go-to whiskey is Laphroaig, which basically tastes like liquid smoke. Not a good idea to start on, but nom nom nom nom nom.
Putting ice in a whiskey is fine - as long as you're using a heavy glass so that your hands don't melt the ice too quickly. One or two cubes of ice will do it, but more ice is fine if you drink it before it melts and waters down your scotch too much. Most whiskeys benefit from having some added water - whether adding it direct or letting it come from melted ice is fine.
Icing whiskey tends to take a lot of the harshness off it, so I highly recommend that if you're easing your way in.
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Whiskey = American, Canadian, Irish
Whisky = Scotch. It's spelled this way with Japanese scotch as well. Makers Mark spells it whisky as a nod to the owner who has Scottish heritage.
OP. You poured yourself how much? Start with two fingers.
The person who said bourbon is an abomination is a goose among gooses. If you don't mind spending the money, drop $50 on a bottle of Blantons. Amazing Kentucky bourbon.
Also, Jameson's is disgusting. If you're going Irish, go Bushmills on a budget or Redbreast if you want to drop a little cash.
As do I.
Start with ice. It makes it much easier. As soxbox said, use the ice sparingly...you want it chilled, but not too deeply watered down. Then sip away. Mmmmmm........
But yeah, Maker's Mark or Chivas are nice, mainstream choices to start with. Glenfiddich it fantastic as well, though pricey.
Yeah, a lot of times though you aren't really ready for the full taste right off the bat. I drank it on ice for a couple weeks before I could really enjoy it neat.
EDIT: And thanks, fuckers. Thanks to you I'm working on a glass of Chivas as I type this.
is my favorite drink, it's super smooth, not smoky, sorta like warm liquid spicey candy but more complex, mmmm. it's just a tad expensive
I stand firmly by my anti-bourbon stance. Corn is not a whiskey, whisky, or wise ingredient in my book.
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Jamesons isn't a single malt.
We were using Tullamore Dew and Crown Royal for this. So not the best stuff, but better than the worst stuff.
Eventually we both decided we just didn't like whiskey, and moved on.
I have become a fan of: Grand Old Parr, Chivas Regal 12, and Dewards 12. I pour it in a crystal cup to be able to smell it before drinking it, add a little amount of water and enjoy.
Play some music in the background and relax.
Please do not use a "mix". Make your own.
2oz bourbon
1oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
3/4oz simple syrup (simply a 1:1 mixture of boiling water and sugar, make a batch of it)
Shake it up with ice. You'll thank me later.
Also, note that there's a ton of people in here recommending you scotch whisky which is an ever more acquired taste than whiskey. Be warned. I have no idea why they're not making a differentiation. There's generally a huge alcohol thread over in D&D where people are probably going to be a bit more knowledgeable.
I'm not a fan of bourbon either, except certain mixed drinks require it. Mint julep, in particular.
Also, there's no "right" way to drink whiskey. Straight, mixed, with a splash, on the rocks - it's all good. People who tell you otherwise are just compensating for their small penises.
The only real rule is that mixing decent scotch (ie, anything better than JW Black) is a waste - why mix a $40 scotch when a $15 whiskey will do?
As for mixed drinks, my favorites are sazerac, old fashioned, and manhattans. I don't like whiskey sours, they taste like cat urine to me. The old fashioned and the manhattan are particularly good for new whiskey drinkers, as the sugar or sweet vermouth (respectively) cuts a little of the harshness of the whiskey and if they're made properly they shouldn't detract from the flavor of the whiskey too much (unlike a whiskey sour, in which I find the citrus just overpowering).
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I agree completely. Also, I'll add that if you don't like it and it makes you nauseous, don't force yourself to like it. I can't stand tequila and I'm never going to force myself to drink it. The smell makes me want to vomit and having that odor in my mouth won't help any better. So, there's nothing wrong with not liking a certain liquor. Though, whiskey is awesome.
In general, it's better to get good whiskey and drink it rarely than to drink gallons of the bad stuff.
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Oh, I totally agree with this. For all liquor, in fact. IMO liquor should be a treat, not a habit.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
A few years ago I was at a jazz club in Vancouver and I ordered a premium scotch on the rocks (macallan 10 year cask strength if i recall) and they served it to me full of crushed ice cubes. I wasn't even paying attention when it was put on the table - too busy listening to jazz - so I was half finished it before I realized what they had done.
I should have complained.
For what it's worth, I currently go to my Macallan 21, Ardbeg 10 (honestly, if it's not at least 10 years old why bother?), and to give you an idea of he range, my Glen Breton 14 single/single cask strength (14yrs old, single malt, single cask, it's not scotch precisely, but omg it's amazing).
Water advice and such form the others is right on. Some like it, some don't, and so long as you're enjoying yourself then who's to complain?
edit: When I suggested the peatier stuff I meant it. Grab a mini of Lagavulin, Arbeg, or Laphroaig and see what you think. It's a wildly different experience!
There's some whiskey in there i think, or whatever.
just drink it.
Edit: Also, if you want to impress your freinds who know a thing or two about alcohol, drink Old Grandad.
@Esh - I'll be making the whiskey sours your way this weekend. That sounds tasty and probably cheaper than buying mix.
For bourbon, I like Bulleit.
So smooth and so delicious. I cannot recommend it enough for an Irish whisky (ey? can't bother checking, even if it's in the same post I'm quoting).
I used to only drink bourbon (typical AMERICA FUCK YEAH type mentality) but then my buddy brought over a bottle of that stuff and I never looked back.
It was one of those defining moments where I thought "what the fuck have I been doing with myself up until this point?! I am an idiot."