Cocktails with Whiskey

Whisky is made from grain alcohol (distilled from grain, usually barley and corn). Four countries are large producers of whiskey: Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the USA. While the Irish whiskey, Scotch whiskey and American bourbon are quite specific, Canadian whiskey and the US-Canadian rye whiskey are pretty faceless and bland, and therefore the most suitable for preparing cocktails.

Of Scottish blends, the most prominent are Johnny Walker, Black and White and Teachers. Many Scotch blends are produced in two versions: regular and deluxe. So, for example, there are Johnny Walker Red Label and Black Label. Deluxe blends contain, of course, higher percentage of expensive malts. The most famous names are Ballantine’e and Chivas Regal.

Malts are never mixed in cocktails. They are served on the rocks, with plain water or soda in a short tumbler (or in old-fashioned). True Englishmen do not even mix them with water and drink them from liqueur glasses.
In the same way and blends are served, especially deluxe ones.

As a cocktail base, the best are simple blends. 

Good connoisseur will tell you that Irish whiskey is quite different from the Scotch. There are two good reasons for this: the climate and the fact that it is not distilled twice, like Scotch, but three times, which makes it more palatable. Irish whiskey, like Scottish, must also before bottling stay in large wooden barrels for at least three years.

When you get your hands on Irish whiskey, do not miss the opportunity to make Irish coffee. You will discover that no other hard liquor mixes with black coffee in such perfect way as Irish whiskey.

Bourbon secret are barrels made of burnt oak in which it must stay for at least four years. In addition, bourbon must contain in malt porridge at least 51% of corn. Bourbon is not always single malt. Blended bourbon whiskeys are very popular, and for some cocktails, they are ideal base. Pure bourbon is served with lots of ice, or with a little bit of water.

As a cocktail base, the most popular is Canadian and rye whiskey.  Canadian whiskey is made from corn, with the addition of rye and barley, with modern methods of distillation, which makes it look very pale, and brighter than any other whiskey. Just before bottling, a little bit of caramel is added to it, to get a darker, more mature color. Rye whiskey, as the name suggests, has a rye base – it contains at least 51% of rye in malt porridge. Like bourbon, it must remain a long time in barrels of burnt oak, before bottling. This whiskey is produced in Canada and U.S. They are used primarily for mixing with lemon juice, mineral water and cola drinks. Such mixtures are served in tall tumbler, with lots of ice.