Ice

I attended a fund-raising event for a pupil in my year at school last night so that she can go to compete in the British Commonwealth Games. At the bar, I decided to buy some cognac for £2.50 (a terrible price, I know). When it was given to me, there were things floating in it (I say floating, but the measure was so small they were touching the bottom of the glass). Cuboid in shape, clear, and damned cold -- ice cubes; two of them sitting in my glass, staring up at me expectantly. I had not asked for this nasty surprise, goodness no, but there they were. This happened twice with the cognac until I decided that it was not the incompetence of the publican (who could not read the bottle saying " Fine Cognac" and instead declared it simply as "Brandy") and asked for it specifically without ice.

Later on, I asked for some Famous Grouse, and what was in that glass along with the Water of Life? Ice...
If cognac is bad with ice, whisky is disgusting with ice.
This bar seemed to be obsessed with ice. Ice was in everything, apart from the cider and the beer (thankfully there was no lager).
It tarnished the spirits, defamed them. It is one thing to have a chilled drink, but to actually have ice in it? There is no logic behind this...

Have the honorable fellows of the Org ever had such an experience?

If you're in america, you get ice.
Period.

yeah, I've worked in a few bars and they all seemed to be big on ice.

some of it's definitely for presentation such as a tall glass of gin and tonic with a pile of ice cubes almost to the top and a slice of lemon or lime, it looks pretty.

Well the purpose of ice isn't just to make your cognac colder it's also for making you think you got more. In my country if you specifically say "NO ICE!" you don't get it.

In here when you order a whisky in the bar they ask you ice or no ice. But ice in Cognac, thats herecy!:viking:

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Originally Posted by DemonArchangel

If you're in america, you get ice.
Period.

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I'm not in America. I'm very far away from America. I'm in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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Originally Posted by kagemusha

Here when you order a whisky in the bar they ask you ice or no ice. But ice in Cognac, thats heresy!

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I know! And they didn't even ask me!

Ice is good, it get's you higher.

A day without ice is like a day without sunshine.

Don't be hatin' [Ice]

Iccccce, cold!

Ice, 90% of the time, is a bad thing in a drink.

There are exceptions; a fruity concoction on the beach, my grandfather's preference for ice with his scotch (who was I to question him?). But in general, ice is akin to a dirty glass, detrimental in full to quality booze.

My buddy, a long haired hippie-type, ordered a shot of good bourbon at the bar and it came with ice. He protested and the whisky wench went back to the bar, then returned with a bourbon sans glace. One sip later, he called her back and said it was the same bourbon only with the ice removed and the remaining water was enough to ruin the drink. He asked for a fresh shot. She was surprised he noticed. Little did she know my hippie-type buddy (and I) have been drinking top-shelf bourbon since we were sixteen.

The way I see it, if that precious golden liquid has been carefully aged in special kegs for years and years by masters of the art, why would I, or anyone, chose to deteriorate its eloquence of taste with minutes old tap water turned solid in a stinky plastic tray stored in an even stinkier freezer?

Ice... no thank you.

Ice ruins most of alcoholic drinks. It's good for refreshment in hot summer days.

Ice?? ... In Cognac???

Words fail me...

Ice? In cognac? Or indeed whiskey, whisky, brandy, armagnac, etc. etc.?

Though, there's no saving bourbon. Or Americans.

A chilled glass on the other hand...

Hmm... just spent 8 and a half hours in a bar, with no ice, alternately in front of, or behind the bar. In front of when I had a drink, behind until someone bought me a new one.

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Originally Posted by Somebody Else

Though, there's no saving bourbon. Or Americans.

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Never underestimate Americans. ~;)

They make the finest of many things. Bourbon being one. And until you've had a couple of shots of this, you are in no position to discount American bourbon.

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...esass/1605.jpg

Bookers Best. 126.8 proof. Straight keg whisky. No blending, no watering down, nothing but keg-to-bottle goodness. I've tried many top shelf bourbons and this is the best of the best. I've got a fresh bottle less than two feet away. Maybe, just maybe, it might get opened tonight.

Any doorknob who puts ice or anything else in this liquid gold does not deserve to own the bottle.

Be that as it may, I'll go for a decent old island malt any time. Gotta love the peaty stuff.

That said, two feet away from me, a bottle of '84 armagnac. A little farther away, but still too close, a flatmate (American) who bring's vacuousness to new levels, and of course (if she could pronounce it) hasn't the faintest idea what armagnac is. Or armistice day.

If I was served ice in Cognac I think I might take it as a personal insult.

However, I do take a small bit of ice in bad whiskey (Sorry but that includes famous grouse, although of the mid priced blends it is the best). Jamesons is about the cut off for me of whiskys that are OK to drink straight.

The best plan, though is to drink good whiskey neat, (contrary to Beruit I think its fine to add just a little water if you want, though personally I don't unless its cask strength).

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Originally Posted by English assassin

However, I do take a small bit of ice in bad whiskey (Sorry but that includes famous grouse, although of the mid priced blends it is the best). Jamesons is about the cut off for me of whiskys that are OK to drink straight.

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Get yer mitts on a bottle o' this!

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../Bushmills.bmp

You'll be sipping this stuff neat as sure as night follows day. We don't have the 21 year-old available anywhere around here, but we the 16 year-old is available at $80 a bottle. Hope to have one for Christmas.

Jameson is fine whisky but the bottle of 12 year-old I tried was a bit too sweet for my taste. I find the Bushmills, especially the 10 year-old single malt, smooth as the day is long and not too sweet.

IMHO, ice dareth not enter any glass with Bushmills in it.

*By the by, as your attorney, I strongly advise you never to drink bad whisky. ~;)

Ive Personaly order Whizkey Straight, My exact words were

2 Double whizkeys please straight,
The bar man handed me 2 whizkeys on the rocks.

I told him "a bit agrivated"
Listen mate I told you i wanted 2 straight whisky's And youve gone and put ice in them,

Then to add insult to injury...
He poured them down the sink, And made me 2 new whizkey's

I think its a good thing that Andy stoped me from grabing the guy for wasting good whizkey,
but still, I would have bought those as well.

Stupid barmen,
I hate ICE!

And il drink any whizkey straight Form The cheapest going "Teachers"
To my personal fave, Glenfiddich,

LOVE THIS http://www.thewhiskystore.de/dist/gf...idd1501a_2.jpg
AND LOVE THIS MORE http://www.thewhiskystore.de/dist/gf...idd3000a_2.jpg

I wont touch That Revoulting Sothern comfort though, Dunno what they put in that stuff,
But it shure dont taste like any whizkey ive ever drank

Now if it wasnt 1pm Monday id probably go get my self a bottle of the good stuff,
But i guess that would make me a bit of a sad looser.

I like ice in my vodka and Irn Bru. If I'm drinking it straight, rarely nowadays I grew out of that as vodka is a downing drink not a sipping one like whisky, then I like it straight from the freezer, bottle and glass, but with no ice.

I don't drink whisky much but when I do only Scotch or Irish will do, bourbons only good for killing the germs in the toilet, and Grouse or Bells is usually the house whiskys in Scotland.

Some drinks are reliant on ice, like mixed drinks, margaritas come to mind, but I would never want any hooch I order straight to be on the rocks. That said, I find it perfectly acceptable to have an additional glass of ice water on the side. :barrel:

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Originally Posted by Just A Girl

I think its a good thing that Andy stoped me from grabing the guy for wasting good whizkey,

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Indeed, you would have made a shambles of the bar.

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Originally Posted by Beirut

Indeed, you would have made a shambles of the bar.

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:bow:

And that is why I was called ShambleS mf :)

ShambleS = A butchers slaughter house, Or a scene of carnage.

Later it became a word meaning a mess,

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That said, two feet away from me, a bottle of '84 armagnac. A little farther away, but still too close, a flatmate (American) who bring's vacuousness to new levels, and of course (if she could pronounce it) hasn't the faintest idea what armagnac is. Or armistice day.

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Good God! I've been looking for Armagnac everywhere, but no place seems to sell it near me...

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Originally Posted by English assassin

The best plan, though is to drink good whiskey neat, (contrary to Beruit I think its fine to add just a little water if you want, though personally I don't unless its cask strength).

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My tap water works especially well, since it comes from the exact same place as some whiskies...


And Good God bourbon is vile, unless heavily diluted with Coca-Cola or Irn Bru..

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Originally Posted by Beirut

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../Bushmills.bmp

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Mmmmm... my second favorite. Although I can never get anything but the cheapest kind (especially since I am getting it secondhand). I have not found my favorite, since I cannot get my hands on any good tequila- the only tequila around- Jose Cuervo especial- has a weak flavor, but what I can taste is wonderful. (The rubbing alcohol flavor kinda ruins it, though.)

Mmh. What can I say? Tastes vary.
In most of my drinks I despise ice. In some I love it.
(going for the groin here...) For example bourbon-coke.
And yeah, yeah it's not whiskey and guess what ... you're right. But I still like it. Scotch gives me nothing.

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Originally Posted by Beirut

Get yer mitts on a bottle o' this!

https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v.../Bushmills.bmp

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You have VERY good taste. :bow:

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Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

I like ice in (...) Irn Bru.

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Ice in cognac is bad enough, but that's just (really) weird.

Ice in scotch isn't so bad. I take everything straight, but my father goes along with the notion that a tiny bit of water brings out the...ahem..."full bouquet of flavours" in a glass of scotch. As such, I've kind of gotten used to the watered-down taste of ice in whisky.

I can't drink whiskey, I just can't. It's really quite embarrassing, as I so want to.

I just end up coughing it everywhere.

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Originally Posted by Big King Sanctaphrax

I can't drink whiskey, I just can't. It's really quite embarrassing, as I so want to.

I just end up coughing it everywhere.

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That's ok Boss, next time you're in the colonies I'll teach ya. ~D

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Originally Posted by King Malcolm

Good God! I've been looking for Armagnac everywhere, but no place seems to sell it near me...

...

And Good God bourbon is vile, unless heavily diluted with Coca-Cola or Irn Bru..

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Justorini & Brookes offers a rather decent delivery service (unless you happen to have a busted door buzzer/intercom system).

Agree with you about the bourbon, can't say I approve of Coca-Cola or Irn Bru though. If I'm going to have a mixed drink, a G&T is more than acceptable (preferably a decent gin, of course).

Amusingly enough, I hardly drink anymore... I've bemused many a barman by continually asking for water, with or without ice.

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Originally Posted by NeonGod

Ice in cognac is bad enough, but that's just (really) weird.

Ice in scotch isn't so bad. I take everything straight, but my father goes along with the notion that a tiny bit of water brings out the...ahem..."full bouquet of flavours" in a glass of scotch. As such, I've kind of gotten used to the watered-down taste of ice in whisky.

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Scotch is supposed to be drank with a little water, from the same source as the water used for the whisky, I believe. However, it doesn't work well with tap water outwith Scotland, since much of our tap water comes from places not far from distilleries, and there is plenty of bottles highland water for sale.

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Originally Posted by Somebody Else

Justorini & Brookes offers a rather decent delivery service (unless you happen to have a busted door buzzer/intercom system).

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Excellent! Oh, wait, I don't suppose they are in Scotland, and near Dundee?

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Agree with you about the bourbon, can't say I approve of Coca-Cola or Irn Bru though. If I'm going to have a mixed drink, a G&T is more than acceptable (preferably a decent gin, of course).

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Sorry, my friend usually only drinks Bourbon or somesuch American Whisky, and the only way Bourbon is bareable is heavily diluted with a soft drink.

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Originally Posted by King Malcolm

Excellent! Oh, wait, I don't suppose they are in Scotland, and near Dundee?

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Well, they did deliver to me here in Edinburgh, so I assume they can stretch to Dundee...