RT Cunningham

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Whisky Is My Recreational Drink of Choice

Tagged with alcohol, rum, sugar, whisky on December 18, 2023

whisky There’s been a lot of debate over the years about the proper spelling of whisky (with or without the “e”). It was even mentioned in the 2017 film, “Kingsman: The Golden Circle”. I have no thoughts at all on the matter, so I’ll leave out the “e” from here on out, unless it’s in the name of a brand.

While distilled liquor has existed for thousands of years, whisky only dates back to the 13th century. Well, that’s as far as existing evidence indicates. The Wikipedia page on it can tell you more.

My Drink of Choice

Whisky is the form of liquor I prefer these days. Just like any alcoholic beverage, there are some excellent as well as some not-so-excellent choices. I prefer it at 40 percent ABV but I can enjoy it at 34 or 35 percent ABV. Anything below that is a waste of time when consumed with ice. The White Castle brand in the Philippines has a light option at 27.5 percent ABV.

I switched from rum and Coke to plain rum on ice, and then to plain whisky on ice while I was in the United States from 2018 to 2022. It wasn’t a quick transition, and it took me more than three years to settle into it. My goal was to cut as much sugar from my diet as possible, and I can’t stand any version of diet Coke. Since I can’t drink whisky from 34 to 40 percent ABV straight, I add ice.

Although I like to drink, I don’t like to get drunk. The amount I drink, on most occasions, is around three shots. Once I feel relaxed, I know I’ve had enough and not too much. My self-imposed restrictions fly out the window when there’s a party in my compound, however, especially when karaoke is involved. It’s usually for some special occasion that also includes a lot of food.

A Whisky Glass Set

My older son, Joe, gave me a whisky glass set from Highball & Chaser as a gift in 2021. I don’t remember the occasion. It came with two whisky glasses, eight chilling stones (and a chilling bag to hold them), stainless steel tongs and two slate coasters inside a wooden gift box. The box is stored under the bar at the end of the kitchen, while the glasses are kept with our other beverage containers and coffee mugs.

I’ll eventually try drinking the lighter versions of the brands I like, using the stones instead of ice (especially if it’s all I can find nearby). Ice melts extremely fast in the Philippines, unless I stay in my air-conditioned bedroom. My drinks are almost always watered down before I get a chance to finish them off.

Whisky and Everything Else

I have a lot of experience with alcoholic beverages of all kinds. Most of it occurred during my 20-year stint in the military. Any type of alcoholic beverage can put me in my comfort zone, so I can be as picky as I like. I don’t like drinking beer, wine, and liqueurs. They tend to make me urinate far too many times before doing anything else for me.

I can barely stand brandy, distilled from wine, because of the lingering fruit taste. In fact, I don’t like most hard liquors (other than whisky or rum). It’s always the taste that turns me away, or the lack of it when it comes to vodka. I no longer enjoy mixed drinks (cocktails or highballs) and I avoid sugar in everything.

Here’s a list of all the whisky brands that I can remember drinking and finishing off at least one bottle. I’m purposely leaving out the brands I didn’t like at all and those where I only had one drink from a bottle:

I try to avoid anything that isn’t a proper liquor (a liqueur), and I want it to be 69 proof (or 34.5 percent ABV) or more. Honey-infused Whisky at around 35 percent ABV is way too easy to drink. I now only buy White Castle Calibre 69 while I’m in the Philippines. All whisky in the Philippines is less expensive than in the United States, even the imported brands, because it isn’t as heavily taxed.

Image by Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc

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