Best Scotch for a Scotch-and-soda

[Black Plague]

(YES, before one of you goons opens his mouth, I drink the real good malt either neat, with a little ice, or with a small bit of pure water)

I generally favor blended Scotch for what nowadays is my preferred cocktail. Lately I've been mixing it with Ballentine 12YO and, if I can't get that, Johnny Walker Black Label.

What are some other good Scotchs, whether blended, vatted, or single, that you guys think make a good Scotch and soda?

 

[CoventryCat86]

(YES, before one of you goons opens his mouth, I drink the real good malt either neat, with a little ice, or with a small bit of pure water)

I generally favor blended Scotch for what nowadays is my preferred cocktail. Lately I've been mixing it with Ballentine 12YO and, if I can't get that, Johnny Walker Black Label.

What are some other good Scotchs, whether blended, vatted, or single, that you guys think make a good Scotch and soda?

Is this REALLY necessary?:

(YES, before one of you goons opens his mouth.....

By the way, there's no such word as "Scotchs."

I never drink Scotch with any kind of "soda."

 

[Black Plague]

If it was good enough for Winston Churchill, it's good enough for me :whistling:

 

[Black Plague]

Is this REALLY necessary?:

(YES, before one of you goons opens his mouth.....

It was only in jest, because I knew somebody would voice their displeasure at drinking Scotch with any kind of dilution, so I was just poking fun .

I always drink good single malts neat, or in the case of cask strength ones like Aberlour A'bundah, with a little water...but I do like the classic combo of Scotch with a splash of club soda or seltzer, though I usually stick to a more affordable blend than a $40-50 bottle of single malt.

 

[Satchmo]

My granny still likes a Cutty Sark and water. I've a few friends who will take a J &B or Dewars and water/pop.

 

[AVB]

I don't think I've ever had a scotch & soda with anything besides JWB or Chivas. Wasn't too thrilled with either but I wasn't buying anyway....damn Japanese businessmen and their bar hopping exploits

 

[BlindedByScience]

I just don't understand why someone would do that to a perfectly good dram of Scotch. Or Bourbon. Or any good liquor.......neat, with a cube maybe. Soda pop is for kids...... :laugh:

Cheers - B.B.S.

 

[rbbrock]

I'm going to have to go with BBS and AVB on this one - why dilute a good whisky down with soda? I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just saying, if you like the whisky then adding soda to it would put a damper on the flavors and aromas. So I guess if I were dead set on having a scotch and soda, I'd use the cheapest scotch that was drinkable, probably White Horse or, if that isn't available for you (I have trouble finding it sometimes) Dewars or Famous Grouse. I think J&B would be too weak to mix, and JWB and Chivas are too good to waste that way (for me).

I guess, if you're going to do it, do it with what tastes good to you.

 

[Black Plague]

I'm going to have to go with BBS and AVB on this one - why dilute a good whisky down with soda? I'm not trying to give you a hard time, I'm just saying, if you like the whisky then adding soda to it would put a damper on the flavors and aromas. So I guess if I were dead set on having a scotch and soda, I'd use the cheapest scotch that was drinkable, probably White Horse or, if that isn't available for you (I have trouble finding it sometimes) Dewars or Famous Grouse. I think J&B would be too weak to mix, and JWB and Chivas are too good to waste that way (for me).

I guess, if you're going to do it, do it with what tastes good to you.

Scotch with a dash of club soda was, for many decades, the preferred way of enjoying Scotch, actually. Just remember, soda as in club soda, not as in soda pop (I don't know how many times I've had to stop a bartender from topping my rocks glass off with Coke when I ask for a "Scotch and soda" :laugh: ). Churchill used to start every morning with a bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label and a cold siphon of seltzer water. Definitely not for everybody, but I enjoy it with some whiskies. Just a dash can give you a nice effervescent tingle on the palate that accentuates some of the smoky, malty flavors...but it's not a good combo for every whisky...most Islay whisky tastes downright awful with soda.

Speaking of Churchill and his fondness of Johnnie Red, a great connoisseur of Havana leaf I've had the pleasure of corresponding with on another forum actually won't touch single malt but only drinks blended or vatted Scotch! :0 In his estimation, single malt can't compare to great blended Scotch. As a caveat though, of recent bottlings he only buys the real expensive ones, like Ballantine's 30YO. The rest of his cabinet consists of vintage bottles from the 1950's and earlier.

I'd always wondered why blended Scotch was held in such low regard compared to single malt, since one would believe blending allows you to make something better than the sum of its parts, as in the case of cigar leaf (you don't see too many single vega cigars, do you?). I agree with his theory...single malt isn't popular because blended Scotch is inferior...blended Scotch is inferior because single malt is now so popular! :laugh:

Even the almost-universally reviled Johnnie Red, when sipping a bottling from the 50's or before, is actually excellent Scotch, he says, which might explain why Sir Winston was so fond of it. It seems that now that individual distilleries can make so much money bottling their product themselves instead of selling to blenders, that the best barrels are sold single malt and the blenders can only get what's left over, resulting in an inferior product from what you would've gotten had you picked up a bottle of Johnnie or J&B back in the 40's or 50's.

I'm surprized there aren't any old timers around here used to taking their whisky with a splash of seltzer.

 

[rbbrock]

Well, I guess just a splash may not be too horrible. Perhaps I'll give it a try sometime. I still suspect that it would diminish what I enjoy about a good single malt, i.e. intensity of flavor, so I'll stick to a decent blend when trying it.

Regarding blends vs. single malt, as long as you stick to the decent blends I don't think either product is universally inferior. For example, I would drink JW Black over Glenlivet 12, Aberlour 10, Speyburn, Jura, and so on. The problems with blends start, in my opinion, when the blenders use too much grain whisky (Cutty Sark leaps to mind) and/or low quality malt whisky (pretty much all the el cheapo blends). On the other hand, what else can be done with the poorer malt whisky? The blending houses are likely the best use for that whisky that is not good enough to bottle on its own. However, that becomes a vicious cycle. The malt is too bad to bottle alone, so we'll blend it. Blends (some) are inferior due to poor malt quality. Because blends are generally perceived as inferior, we won't waste our good whisky in a blend.

As one climbs the blend price ladder, this effect is lessened, of course, because the increased price allows the blenders to use more expensive (i.e. better) whisky. At that point, it becomes a matter of personal taste. Would you rather have a balanced, smooth blend or a (hopefully) more intense, but possibly not as rounded, single malt. There is a place for both.

Whether or not blends decades ago (e.g. Sir Winston's JWR) were excellent, I doubt there can be much argument that many current blends are not, including JWR.

 

[cuppajack]

I find it amusing that if anyone disparages a members choice in Cigars they are quickly met with a "to each his own" and "everyones tastes are different" and then the discussion moves on.

Yet if a member admits to drinking whiskey adulterated with anything other than a single rock, they are immediately beset by 'purists' or whatever who deride them for their choice.

I drink my bourbon with 2 goddamn rocks. and I like it that way.
I also, sometimes, will mix bourbon with gingerale and a dash of bitters (with a twist.) Thats a damn fine cocktail, and goes great with many a cigar.

Lets not give the OP a hard time for asking about a method of imbibing that differs from CP's social norm.

On the rare occasion that I'm drinking a scotch and soda I like it quite a bit with JWB.

 

[Black Plague]

I also, sometimes, will mix bourbon with gingerale and a dash of bitters (with a twist.) Thats a damn fine cocktail, and goes great with many a cigar.

That's called a horse's neck, and I like them too :laugh:

A little Cajun variation I devised is called "le cou de cheval" in which I use ginger ale, rye whiskey, and a dash of Peychaud's bitters :thumbs:

 

[AVB]

Scotch with a dash of club soda was, for many decades, the preferred way of enjoying Scotch, actually.

Quite true, Single Malts didn't even begin to be popular until the 60's. Maybe accepted would be a better word

In his estimation, single malt can't compare to great blended Scotch. As a caveat though, of recent bottlings he only buys the real expensive ones, like Ballantine's 30YO. The rest of his cabinet consists of vintage bottles from the 1950's and earlier.

A good blend is an equal to a single malt and some are better then others. I have a Ballantine's 30 that was distilled in 1956 but isn't as good as my Cutty 25 from 2003 IMO. I've also had JWB that was bottled in the 50's and 60's side by side with the newer versions and while there is some very minor variation I doubt I could pick out the older ones in a blind tasting. Not willing to try newer high end blends is not something to be proud of in my estimation. He is missing out on some very fine scotch. Whyte & Mackay 30, the aforementioned Cutty 25, Dew of Ben Nevis 40, Blue Hanger 25 and a few others I can think of offhand.

I'd always wondered why blended Scotch was held in such low regard compared to single malt, since one would believe blending allows you to make something better than the sum of its parts....

Blended Scotch got it's bad reputation from the very low end. The Inver House, White Horse, Cutty, etc etc. Some of these only have 17% scotch in them and the rest is grain which is a great way to increase profits over taste. Add caramel coloring, chill filtering and who knows what other additives and you stray pretty far from a "natural" spirit.

Even the almost-universally reviled Johnnie Red, when sipping a bottling from the 50's or before, is actually excellent Scotch, he says, which might explain why Sir Winston was so fond of it.

I have to disagree with this, it just isn't true in my experience. I can't say I've had a lot of 50's JWR but I've had a fair number, more then most anyway.

It seems that now that individual distilleries can make so much money bottling their product themselves instead of selling to blenders, that the best barrels are sold single malt and the blenders can only get what's left over, resulting in an inferior product from what you would've gotten had you picked up a bottle of Johnnie or J&B back in the 40's or 50's.

Absolutely false. A single malt carried the distillery's reputation right on the label, but is anonymous in a blend. The very small percentage of mosts distilleries output that is used in single malts (most well under 4%) ensures that they are cherry picking the best they have to present to the public.

Add in the cost of transport and the overall costs are quite similar unless you are one of the very smallest distilleries or it is even more expensive to buy from the Isle based ones

I'm surprized there aren't any old timers around here used to taking their whisky with a splash of seltzer.

I started over the rocks 30+ years ago but was never a big fan of water/seltzer/club soda in my drink. There is no wrong way to drink scotch except for the guy I know who likes to mix it with Dr. Pepper. That is just plain wrong.



For cuppajack.... I don't see where anyone was giving him a hard time.

 

[cuppajack]

I also, sometimes, will mix bourbon with gingerale and a dash of bitters (with a twist.) Thats a damn fine cocktail, and goes great with many a cigar.

That's called a horse's neck, and I like them too :laugh:

A little Cajun variation I devised is called "le cou de cheval" in which I use ginger ale, rye whiskey, and a dash of Peychaud's bitters :thumbs:

Well shit. I've been trying to figure out what that was called for AGES.
Thanks sir for solving that riddle for me!

 

[Black Plague]

@ ABV

Thanks for the awesome info :thumbs:

The guy is set in his ways, because people have tried to get him to drink single malt with little success...also tried to get him to try some of the best NCs like Tatuaje and OpusX, but he won't do that either :laugh:

 

[Mephiston]

Some would say change is always good. I say why change a good thing. Although i prefer makers mark and padrons :whistling:

 

[golfgar]

Standard order for a number of years for me was Dewar's, soda twist. Most places have Dewar's even at large functions and therefore it became a standard drink at parties etc., not at home or bars with good selections, however.

 

[sigar_zealot]

I never cared for soda water in anything. Same for tonic water in vodka. Maybe it's just me.

I agree mixing gingerale and bourbon isn't bad. Much better than mixing it with coke imho. It kind of gives bourbon that spiced rum flavor.

I will on occassion water down my bourbon or scotch to take the alcohol burn away. Usually the first drink of the day is enjoyed this way especially if I haven't had a drink in a while. I'll even go so far as to order a bottled water at a restaurant or bar. I don't care for the after taste in our tap water here in AZ. Call me a prude!

 

[mitchshrader]

of all the low end scotch i've drank Dewars 12 (about 25$ here) is the least annoying. i'd not flinch to make it a daily drink if i was going to put soda (or ice) in it.

it'd have more body than J&B for sure, and it's not got more'n a whiff of peat.. nice 'airport bar' quality, you don't expect fancy booze, just functional.

HOWEVER, if I was making you drink what I would spend your money on....

I'd suggest getting a sale price 1.75L of JW Black, and just drink smaller drinks.

 

[cohibasurfer]

Yes I do!

Dewars, Cutty and Johnnie Red.