Yes, it’s Tax Day. But given what time it is, more than likely you’ve already filed and celebrated (or drowned) your return in a drink, possibly the Income Tax Cocktail.
On to today’s other big news: the 11th annual WhiskyFest Chicago.
Various official (and unofficial) events have been taking place all week, but tonight is the culmination when approximately 100 whiskey (and whisky) distilleries from around the world converge at the Hyatt Regency to welcome eager sippers.
Depending on what time you read this, WhiskyFest* is either about to begin or already in full swing. And while individual tickets are sold out, the fest is as good an excuse as any to revisit which whisk(e)y you drink, and why. (By the way, whisk(e)y drops its “e” depending on where it’s from.)
Whiskey or otherwise, it’s always best to try a new spirit neat (sans mixers or ice) first. When you’re ready to try it in a cocktail, don’t drown the stuff with unnecessary ingredients. For darker, more complex spirits, recipes are generally less complicated, allowing the spirit to shine.
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I’m a fan of sipping whiskey in a simple, classic-cocktail fashion (often called an Old Fashioned): sugar and bitters muddled in a glass, topped with ice and the booze, finished with a citrus garnish. But the steadfast highball also works:
Highball
2 ounces whiskey
soda or ginger ale (ginger beer is a little too harsh here)
In a glass, pour whiskey over a few ice cubes; top with soda or ginger ale. That’s it.
* Come Monday, fellow Stewbie Josh Noel and I will be posting our learnings from tonight’s WhiskyFest.