Somebody's screwed the pooch somewhere. Nobody ever took the time to inform me about Black Velvet.
In case they committed the same atrocity against you, dear reader, I shall relate to you what it inexplicably took me 23 years of my life to find out. Black Velvet is a blended Canadian whisky, aged three years, supposedly made from Rocky Mountain water and the finest grains. Whether that's true or not is up for grabs. I have to say, though, this stuff is the perfect blend of inexpensiveness and taste. It's reasonably priced and reasonably yummy.
First, the ingredient list. Hmmm, now what do you reckon is swimming around in a whiskey and soda, anyway?
1½ ounces whiskey
3-4 ounces club soda
Or, if you're the adventurous type, you can make it a double (as my father habitually does) with three whole ounces of whiskey. If you're a weenie, you can have a "tall" whiskey and soda. Those are served in collins glasses, I believe, and contain the same amount of liquor but a greater percentage of club soda...just in case you can't abide the taste of whiskey, you pantywaist.
Oh, and one more thing: I know this is another exceedingly simple highball, just like the vodka and tonic, but hey. If I'm going to go out on a limb with drinks like the Gates of Hell and Roger Swims a Mile, I might as well bring things back down to earth with a few classics once in a while.
But the point I'm trying to make here is that a whiskey and soda is GOOD with Black Velvet. I don't know exactly what to attribute this to. This whisky's got some flavor to it, sure, but it had almost a sweetish sort of finish to back up an insane amount of smoothness. (I had a shot of it later just to be sure.) I know club soda's flavorless, but it's possible that the fizz might have tickled my taste buds in some odd manner. I can't account for the slight sweetness any way else.
But irrespective of that insignificant aberration, this was (and is, in general) a DANG...
...GOOD...
...DRINK.
Assay it sometime if you don't believe me.
P.S. If you're wondering why I've been jumping back and forth between spellings ("whiskey" vs. "whisky"), I'll elaborate for you. Due to some influential vagaries of quality and competitive marketing, Irish and American whiskey is spelled with an "e" and Scotch, Canadian and Japanese whisky is spelled without one. This is because, back in the day, the reputation of Scotch whisky was (if you can believe it) very poor. There were some low-grade stills in use, and the Scotch turned out was more than a little inferior. So Irish and American distilleries added the "e" to their products' labels to distinguish their higher caliber. So, hence, when I'm referring to Black Velvet or other Canadian whisky, I'm omitting the "e." When I'm referring to whiskey in general, I'm using the "e." (Personally, I think the word "whiskey" looks a lot better with an "e.") Are we clear?
Now excuse me, I have to comb back through all my cocktail reviews and make sure I've been spelling everything right.
Very kewl. I'd like to try that- yup, I can stand the taste, and I'd like a doubleshot too. But I have to warn you, I'm going to be cross the next day because that's too much sugar in there. Sugar makes me meaner than I normally am. Ha.
Good for you! A lot of my female friends can't abide whiskey in any way, shape, or form. BUT THAT'S THE WEIRD THING - there wasn't actually any sugar in it! It just tasted somewhat sweet. So maybe here's your get-out-of-jail-free drink, then. It TASTES sweet, but with zero sugar.
But there's sugar in the alcohol? For instance, I adore Burbon but can't drink much because it's too sweet.
Hey. I've got a great idea. I'll just try it and see what happens.
That way, we don't have to go back and forth on this sugar thing. But don't blame me if, when I comment on your blog, I have more typos than usual 'cause I'm still hungover and CROSS.
Oh, that. Whiskey's not nearly as bad as rum, though. That little bit gets you cranky, huh? Well, I hope I don't give you a headache with that vanilla/chocolate concoction I'll try to whip up when you fly.
There you go. Give it a shot (no pun intended). If you feel bad later, blame me. And I used to be pretty uptight about typos (as I was about swearing) but now not so much. I've realized that almost everybody has something profound to say and worth listening to, regardless of whether they get a couple of letters out of place here and there.
I had a friend (ahem, a gorgeous female blonde English instructor about your age) who always drank Crown and water, claiming it tasted like candy and never gave her a hangover.
I'm with EC - whiskey (I totally prefer it with an "e") mixed with any kind of sugar turns me into a monster. I've already told you about my Jack & Coke fiasco in the hills above San Bernardino.
I really love all the whiskey words, they just all sound so cool. In a strange way they sound like they taste. I dunno.
That you did. I stand corrected. I guess whiskey's secretly sweeter than I thought (in more ways than one)! Kudos to that (ahem) gorgeous female blonde English instructor friend of yours for imbibing it so freely. Um...any word on her present whereabouts?
You're right! Whiskey sounds like what it means. I love words like that. "Jolly" sounds just like what it means, as do the words "sibilant," "quaff," and "welt," and a whole bunch of others.
She's still living in Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada), and teaching at New Mexico Highlands University. I believe she has a cowboy politician boyfriend, though. Sorry.
8 comments:
Very kewl. I'd like to try that- yup, I can stand the taste, and I'd like a doubleshot too. But I have to warn you, I'm going to be cross the next day because that's too much sugar in there. Sugar makes me meaner than I normally am. Ha.
Good for you! A lot of my female friends can't abide whiskey in any way, shape, or form. BUT THAT'S THE WEIRD THING - there wasn't actually any sugar in it! It just tasted somewhat sweet. So maybe here's your get-out-of-jail-free drink, then. It TASTES sweet, but with zero sugar.
But there's sugar in the alcohol? For instance, I adore Burbon but can't drink much because it's too sweet.
Hey. I've got a great idea. I'll just try it and see what happens.
That way, we don't have to go back and forth on this sugar thing. But don't blame me if, when I comment on your blog, I have more typos than usual 'cause I'm still hungover and CROSS.
Oh, that. Whiskey's not nearly as bad as rum, though. That little bit gets you cranky, huh? Well, I hope I don't give you a headache with that vanilla/chocolate concoction I'll try to whip up when you fly.
There you go. Give it a shot (no pun intended). If you feel bad later, blame me. And I used to be pretty uptight about typos (as I was about swearing) but now not so much. I've realized that almost everybody has something profound to say and worth listening to, regardless of whether they get a couple of letters out of place here and there.
I had a friend (ahem, a gorgeous female blonde English instructor about your age) who always drank Crown and water, claiming it tasted like candy and never gave her a hangover.
I'm with EC - whiskey (I totally prefer it with an "e") mixed with any kind of sugar turns me into a monster. I've already told you about my Jack & Coke fiasco in the hills above San Bernardino.
I really love all the whiskey words, they just all sound so cool. In a strange way they sound like they taste. I dunno.
That you did. I stand corrected. I guess whiskey's secretly sweeter than I thought (in more ways than one)! Kudos to that (ahem) gorgeous female blonde English instructor friend of yours for imbibing it so freely. Um...any word on her present whereabouts?
You're right! Whiskey sounds like what it means. I love words like that. "Jolly" sounds just like what it means, as do the words "sibilant," "quaff," and "welt," and a whole bunch of others.
She's still living in Las Vegas (New Mexico, not Nevada), and teaching at New Mexico Highlands University. I believe she has a cowboy politician boyfriend, though. Sorry.
Bummer. I couldn't compete with a cowboy politician...plus she's some distance away. [Sigh]...
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