Enjoying whisky in the summer heat
Jun 07, 2024
When the temperature rises, a neat dram might feel too intense for a sunny day. How can you savor whisky while grilling burgers and skewers with friends and family?
For some serious whisky enthusiasts, this might be controversial: make it a long drink!
Millions around the world enjoy the best-selling whiskies as highballs. Many blended Scotch whiskies are designed for mixing. Here are our recommendations:
Choosing the Whisky
Pick a reasonably priced whisky with a pleasant flavor. Avoid overly smoky whiskies if you have guests who aren't fans of peaty flavors. Blended whiskies like Adelphi Private Reserve, Woodrow's Warehouse Reserve, and The Storyman are excellent choices for long drinks.
Selecting the Glassware
Your choice of glass is crucial. A rocks glass works for a more concentrated drink with less ice. A highball glass is better if you want plenty of ice and a generous amount of mixer.
Balancing the Drink
It's all about balance. Too much whisky makes the drink too alcoholic. Too much mixer makes it taste like juice. Too much lemon or lime juice can make it too tart.
Here are our top recommendations for whisky-based drinks to enjoy on hot summer days:
Whisky Highball
Ingredients:
50ml whisky
25ml sugar syrup
Soda water
½ lime (or lemon)
Lots of ice cubes
Instructions:
Mix the whisky, syrup, and lime juice in a shaker or mixing glass.
Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and pour the mixture over the ice.
Top up with soda water and garnish with a lime slice.
For a fancier version, try the:
Morning Glory Fizz
Ingredients:
50ml whisky
25ml sugar syrup
Soda water
½ lime (or lemon)
Lots of ice cubes
20ml pasteurized egg white.
Instructions:
Dry shake the whisky, egg white, lime juice, and syrup for 15-20 seconds.
Add ice and shake until chilled.
Double strain over ice and top with soda water.
Whisky Ginger
Ingredients
50ml blended whisky
Ginger Ale
½ lime
Orange peels
Lots of ice
Instructions:
Pour the whisky and ginger ale over ice.
Squeeze the lime into the glass, stir gently, and garnish with an orange peel (you can use a lime wedge instead of the orange peel).
If you can plan ahead, here are a couple of special whisky cocktails for sunbathing or barbequing.
Scot & Coco Breeze
Ingredients:
40ml grain whisky
20ml coconut syrup or liqueur
75ml coconut water
Soda water
½ lime
Lots of ice
Instructions:
Mix the whisky, coconut water, and coconut syrup/liqueur in a shaker.
Shake vigorously.
Pour into an ice-filled highball glass.
Top with soda water and stir gently.
Cairngorms Paloma
Ingredients:
50ml unpeated blended malt
75ml grapefruit juice
½ lime
15ml sugar syrup
Soda water
Lots of ice
Salt
Instructions:
Rub the rim of a highball glass with a lime wedge and dip it in salt.
Fill the glass with ice cubes.
Shake the whisky, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and syrup vigorously.
Pour into the ice-filled glass, top with soda water, and stir gently.
Garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
