SiscoVanilla Has a 🥃 Scotch and Soda 🥃

As some of you might know, I'm in the middle of reading Dashiell Hammett's The Thin Man. I'm also in the middle of a cocktail book challenge with the Old Man Drinks: Recipes, Advice and Barstool Wisdom by Robert Schnakenberg. So here is a combination post utilizing one cocktail common to both books: The Scotch and Soda.

The book the Thin Man is based during the Prohibition era since there are instances where the main characters Nick and Nora Charles are spending time in speakeasies while in New York City. If you've watched any of the Thin Man movies, you know that there is drinking a-plenty but with the source material, the only real cocktail mentioned is the scotch and soda. For the post, I wanted to use a Scotch Whisky that you would have found during Prohibition. I chose to use Dewar's White Label.

Referring to my newly acquired Schweppes Guide to Scotch by Philip Morrice, the Dewar whisky business was established 1846 by John Dewar. His sons John Alexander Dewar and Thomas Dewar would become a partners in the firm in 1879 and 1885 respectively. It would be the sons that would be the driving force in making Dewar's a recognized name.

While John Alexander was the strength behind the scenes, Thomas was the face of the company going around the world to successfully advertise and build the brand through brash advertising such as the use of bagpipers at a trade show to drown out all the other vendors. Which might seem tame by today's standards but in the late 1880's, it just wasn't someone did. But it worked. By 1893 Dewar's was granted Queen Victoria's Royal Warrant for the supply of whisky to the household of the royal family. Dewar's White Label would be introduced in 1899

Here is the recipe used from the Old Man Drinks book:

Now the only difference between the recipe in the book and the one I used was the lime twist. I didn't have any limes at the house so I decided to forgo the twist. So what did I think about the cocktail?

Well...I'll start by saying that Dewar's White Label is no Dewar's 12. I say that since I've had Dewars 12 and enjoyed it straight up, on the rocks and in the Blood and Sand Cocktail. I wish I could say the same about the White Label. The smoky, peaty, scotchiness of the spirit came out had on the palate. That's cool if you like that sort of thing. But I found it to be a bit harsh and not enjoyable in the least. One is more than enough. Here were my actual impressions after having tasted the White Label and Soda:

My friend Amanda, the Editor in Chief of the Alcohol Professor recommended using the Toki Whisky by Suntory and Monkey Shoulder Whisky in my next highball. While I don't readily have the Toki at hand, I do have the Monkey Shoulder Whisky available at Finn's Corner (660 Washington Avenue, Corner of Bergen Brooklyn NY 347-663-9316) I'll make a Monkey Shoulder and soda next time I'm in at Finn's, which is next Tuesday.

Until Then Happy Drinking,
SiscoVanilla

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