Whisky Cocktails
Whisky is one of the most popular spirits in the world. The spirit is most commonly produced in countries such as Scotland, Ireland and the USA. But other countries, such as Germany and Japan, are also producing more and more whisky. Because of this enormous diversity, the choice of whisky cocktails is also very varied. Whisky is a spirit with a very high quality. Therefore, the price is usually correspondingly expensive. Whisky is the spirit with the most flavour aromas. For this reason, the spirit is mainly drunk neat, on the rocks or in whisky cocktails.
Trending Whisky Cocktail Recipes
The best known: Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is probably the best-known and most popular whisky cocktail of all. It is known and sought after by bartenders and cocktail lovers all over the world. Just about every cocktail bar has a place reserved for the Old Fashioned whisky on its menu, and not without reason.
The Old Fashioned Cocktail was instrumental in the creation of whiskey cocktails. The first drink is said to have been prepared as early as the 1800s (some say even earlier). This drink was called “Peychaud” after its inventor (Antonie Peychaud) and was very similar to the Old Fashioned, both in taste and preparation. At that time, people were looking for ways to make the then very harsh and pungent whisky drinkable. Today’s variety of whisky cocktails is the result of these initial attempts. You can find all the information and of course the simple Old Fashioned recipe on our Old Fashioned page.
The wide range
Whisky cocktails, the whisky flavour is strongly influenced by various other ingredients (for example, sweetness from sugar syrup or bitterness from orange bitters). Therefore, you should consider which whisky you use in the cocktails. Whisky cocktails have a long and storied history. As early as the 19th century, whisky and other ingredients were experimented with. The reason was that the spirit was of very poor quality at that time. By mixing the spirit with other ingredients, people hoped for a more enjoyable taste.
The history of whisky
The history of whisky is very controversial. Both Scotland and Ireland declare themselves to be the inventors of the spirit. It cannot be conclusively determined in which country the spirit was first produced. The first whisky-like drink is said to have been produced by monks as early as the 5th century. These monks were also the reason why whisky came to Ireland and Scotland. Thus, the clergymen tried to proselytise the inhabitants of the country. In the process, they brought the spirit with them into the country. Learn more about the history of whisky and the history of whisky cocktails here!
The wide range of different whisky varieties
There are many different types and varieties of whisky. Whiskies can be similarly differentiated not only by country of production, but also by production experience or storage. Example whisky types are: Single Malt, Blended Malt, Single Cask, Single Grain, Bourbon, Tenessee, Pot Still, Grain, Rye, Corn, Peated and Cask Streght Whisky.
How to drink whisky properly!
Whisky is mainly drunk neat in so-called tumblers. This is a glass with a thick base and a height the width of a hand. Tumblers have the advantage that they can be used for a variety of whisky cocktails and drinks and at the same time offer space for ice cubes. However, the large glass opening also means that a lot of the spirit’s aromas are lost. This is a pity with high-priced spirits. These spirits should be drunk neat rather than as a whisky cocktail. In addition, ice should not be used with these best whiskies from your collection. This will dilute the aroma and the cold will cause some of the aromas to fade into the background.
In order to preserve as many aromas as possible during a tasting in terms of taste and also for the nose, you should use tulip-shaped glasses with a long stem, especially for high-quality single malt whiskies. These glasses prevent the hand heat from being passed on to the whisky. In addition, this minimises the contact of the noble spirit with the air.
Whisky cocktal facts
- The spelling of whisky differs depending on which country the spirit comes from. Irish and American whiskey, for example, is spelled with an E, while Scotch whiskey is spelled without one.
- The evaporating part of the whisky storage is called “Angels share”, which means “share for the angels”. The percentage losses vary per country and outside temperature between 2% and 10%. The “angels share” is particularly high for old whisky. This is why very old whiskies are usually particularly expensive.
- Johnnie Walker is the most sold whisky brand worldwide
- France is the largest consumer of Scotch whisky.
- Indian whisky is very different from other types of whisky. The reason for this is that Indian whisky consists of a mixture of grain varieties. This is why Indian whisky is sometimes affectionately referred to as “Indian rum”.
