Very few make it to blue - Makro

Summer Scotch
By: Charles MacLean
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Purists maintain that
Scotch—especially single
malt—must be drunk
only straight, on the rocks
or, if you must, with a
splash of water, and they
generally tend to think of
it as a winter tipple.
To each his own, but until the mid-1800s,
most Scotch was actually consumed in
punch. Jerry Thomas of course includes
a recipe in his seminal 1862 bartender’s
guide How to Mix Drinks, or The Bon
Vivant’s Companion. It calls for steeping
lemon-peel shavings in whisky, “which
should be Glenlivet or Islay, of the best quality.” (He goes on
to remark, cheekily, “as it requires genius to make whiskey
punch, it would be impertinent to give proportions.”)
Today, these concoctions are enjoying a revival
in Edinburgh’s stylish bars and allow for all kinds of
experimentation. They are also great served outdoors in
warm weather (think barbecues).
I recommend using a light-bodied blended Scotch
as your base—Cutty Sark, Chivas Regal or J&B Rare, for
example—but don’t be afraid to try malts as well: Talisker
introduces spice while Laphroaig or Ardbeg adds smoke.
Mix the whisky with ginger ale, ginger beer, lemonade,
club soda, apple juice or elderflower liqueur. Lemon, lime
and ginger seem to go best with Scotch. I like a dash of
Tabasco Sauce or bitters in some combinations, but please
be discreet.
To get you started, I asked Stuart McCluskey, one of
Scotland’s leading mixologists and owner of The Bon
Vivant bar in Edinburgh, to create a refreshing summer
whisky punch recipe. Slàinte!
November 2011 WHISKY EDITION
65