I have some principled leanings toward answer #1, but as I am known to have scotch and soda, I really can't in good conscience answer it. I do tend to use what some would call unreal scotch (imaginary scotch? Scotch * i? Does that mean my scotch and soda is a complex drink, soda + i*scotch?) such as Johnnie Walker for said mixed drinks, though, precisely because it is "unreal." But I don't believe that drinking Johnnie Walker is automatically bad; it's good for places where using "real" scotch would be a waste. Therefore, answer #2 is out. So the question becomes, "scotch and cola. Thoughts?"
I believe #2 is the closest to what I believe, that is - Johnny Walker is not real scotch, and I don't care what you do with it before/instead of pouring down your gullet.
Johnnie Walker apparently becomes a quite passable blend when you move up the rainbow.
If you're going to drink a cocktail, however, it might as well be the bog-standard JW you mix with coke. You're not going to taste it anyway, so why waste something you might otherwise enjoy?
If you're talking proper Scotch whisky, though, give me a single-malt Isle every time. Laphroaig, for preference. Make that a double.
If Laphroaig isn't to your liking, try some of the smoother whiskies (I'd recommend some, but Laphroaig *is* to my liking, so all I can think of right now is in a similar vein). It's certainly on the far end of the peat scale.
I don't care for Laphroaig either, despite a prediliction for kinda 'extreme' flavours at times, and an appreciation for smokey-tasting things. (I like Bruichladdich, which is also peaty but not as overpoweringly so.)
Top of my list so far is Balvenie Portwood ... but on my list and in my price range is Loch Dhu.
I keep a list, in my PDA, of the ones I've tried and my impressions of them, 'cause I drink Scotch seldom enough that I might forget which one's which otherwise. There's also a list of ones that more experienced Scotch-drinkers have suggested I keep an eye out for.
(Huh. I've got a note regarding Laphroaig Quarter Cask, which I'd forgotten about. I wrote, "As peaty as the other Laphroaig but much more smoky, which makes it much more palatable. To my surprise I actually enjoy it. Very smoky aftertaste. Smell is down right frightening - burning green wood.")
Obviously, I'm still learning what I like. (Being in a Scottish band, I figured I'd better educate myself. But I haven't the budget to try many kinds on my own, so it's going slowly.)
See, I'm a whiskey heathen: Expensive single malts are completely wasted on me, because while I can tell the difference, I don't actually *like* them any more or less than the cheap stuff. So, if I want scotch, I tend to be happy with whatever's available. And I have JW.
In the same respect, I figured rye+ginger and jack+coke turn out well if you like that kind of thing so I tried JW (red) and coke and it was actually quite tasty - the JW adds a strong smokey flavour.
The answer depends on which lable you are drinking. If it's just red label, then by all means mix it with coke. Black label is probably not deserving of coke.
If it's Green, Gold or Blue, then adding anything is frankly wrong. And anyone who dismisses even these blends as not being proper Whisky, they really need to stop being so snobbish. Each of them is a damn fine drink.
Fuck all the purists; drink it how you like it. I'll gladly pour 12+ year old single malt into Coke without reservation and enjoy the hell out of it. As far as people disparaging blended whisk(e)y goes, fuck them too, I've had some outstanding blends.
As a fan of whiskeys, from Ten High bourbons, Irish blends and upper level scotches (never paid over $100/bottle but have got close), if you're going to mix, don't use anything past base level Jim Beam/Wild Turkey.
Oh yeah, a Highball (actually a drink and not just a glass), was originally Rye Whiskey and Ginger Ale. I tended bar at a shots and beer place in college. A fancy drink was a boiler maker or Highball.
My fav drink is a Guinness with a shot of Bushmills. I don't add any of that cream liquor crap so it's not a car bomb. Just as well.
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:15 am (UTC)Mix Johnnie if you must (though whiskey + Coke = blech for me), but sully not your Speyburn or your Talisker with cola.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:19 am (UTC)(And personally? I kinda like the peaty taste of Laphroaig.)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 02:07 pm (UTC)(It actually turned out really smokey and quite tasty. Not my favourite drink, but not bad!)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 06:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:53 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:55 am (UTC)Johnny Walker is not real scotch, and I don't care what you do with it before/instead of pouring down your gullet.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:56 am (UTC)If you're going to drink a cocktail, however, it might as well be the bog-standard JW you mix with coke. You're not going to taste it anyway, so why waste something you might otherwise enjoy?
If you're talking proper Scotch whisky, though, give me a single-malt Isle every time. Laphroaig, for preference. Make that a double.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:16 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:27 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 08:29 am (UTC)Top of my list so far is Balvenie Portwood ... but on my list and in my price range is Loch Dhu.
I keep a list, in my PDA, of the ones I've tried and my impressions of them, 'cause I drink Scotch seldom enough that I might forget which one's which otherwise. There's also a list of ones that more experienced Scotch-drinkers have suggested I keep an eye out for.
(Huh. I've got a note regarding Laphroaig Quarter Cask, which I'd forgotten about. I wrote, "As peaty as the other Laphroaig but much more smoky, which makes it much more palatable. To my surprise I actually enjoy it. Very smoky aftertaste. Smell is down right frightening - burning green wood.")
Obviously, I'm still learning what I like. (Being in a Scottish band, I figured I'd better educate myself. But I haven't the budget to try many kinds on my own, so it's going slowly.)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 12:08 pm (UTC)(And,
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:28 am (UTC)Single malt whisky - on its own with nowt added.
Reminds me, I must open that bottle of Laphroaig that's been sitting on the bookcase.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 12:21 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:30 am (UTC)Blended scotch is perfectly real and fine, though. Not my favorite thing, but fine. Even JW Blue, kind of underwhelming. Still, it's real scotch.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 05:35 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 06:32 am (UTC)- James -
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 08:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 02:00 pm (UTC)In the same respect, I figured rye+ginger and jack+coke turn out well if you like that kind of thing so I tried JW (red) and coke and it was actually quite tasty - the JW adds a strong smokey flavour.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 09:00 am (UTC)If it's Green, Gold or Blue, then adding anything is frankly wrong. And anyone who dismisses even these blends as not being proper Whisky, they really need to stop being so snobbish. Each of them is a damn fine drink.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 10:17 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 10:39 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 12:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 02:18 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 03:11 pm (UTC)But not with coke.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 04:14 pm (UTC)With some help from Johnny Walker Red
Send the poison rain down the drain
To put bad thoughts in my head
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 06:16 pm (UTC)When I'm Not Poor, I try to have two or three whiskeys in the house.
ALWAYS HAVE: Middle range
THEN GET: Low end for parties and mixing
EXTRA MONEY: Pleasant 30+ dollar bottle of scotch
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-06 07:54 pm (UTC)Oh yeah, a Highball (actually a drink and not just a glass), was originally Rye Whiskey and Ginger Ale. I tended bar at a shots and beer place in college. A fancy drink was a boiler maker or Highball.
My fav drink is a Guinness with a shot of Bushmills. I don't add any of that cream liquor crap so it's not a car bomb. Just as well.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-02-07 02:15 am (UTC)...
it's whisky + Irn Bru or nothing ;-)
Yeah, with _ice_