Putting the Cock Back in Cocktail (Part 4): Whiskey
  • whiskey_2(2)

    Whiskey — or whisky, if you prefer — is a distilled spirit that’s usually made from corn, rye, barley, wheat, or, very often, a cross combination of some or all those.

    Whiskey is almost always aged in wooden casks which almost always consist of charred white oak.

    The word “whiskey” is an anglicized version of the Gaelic uisce beatha (in Scottish Gaelic: uisge beatha) which means “living water,” or “water of life.”

    Irish whiskey, Scottish whiskey (i.e. scotch), Canadian whiskey, and American whiskey (i.e. bourbon) are by far the most popular whiskeys in the world. But these days virtually every country produces some sort of whiskey.

    In bartending, whiskey is the new vodka.








About The Author

Ray Harvey

I was born and raised in the San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado. I've worked as a short-order cook, construction laborer, crab fisherman, janitor, bartender, pedi-cab driver, copyeditor, and more. I've written and ghostwritten several published books and articles, but no matter where I've gone or what I've done to earn my living, there's always been literature and learning at the core of my life.

16 Responses and Counting...

  • Jim 03.13.2013

    Captivating presentation… I’m thirsty!

  • Love your cocky video. Nice picture too. ;). How many shots of whiskey does that equal in your sidecar?

  • Cocky!? My dear Joanne, what on earth do you mean?

    The photo, by the way, is the best part about the whole thing. Thank you.

    Two-and-a-half shots of bourbon in the bourbon Sidecar.

    Thank you for dropping.

  • Glug, glug, my brother.

    Thank you for dropping by.

  • Doc

    More of these. I can’t understand all that highbrow stuff. Just looking for a good buzz.

  • Me too, Doc. Me too.

  • Curiously, you left out the Sazerac. ???

  • The Sazerac — which, as you know, is the oldest cocktail on written record, was originally made with a brandy called Sazerac brandy ( and that’s how the drink got its name), but that’s not why I didn’t include it. I didn’t include it because it’s very trendy right now, and I didn’t want to come across as cliche.

  • Just perfection …. That is all

  • Mr.

    Mr. Harvey my ass. The three sink really loved those drinks I am sure. All I want to know is where was the donkey mask during the making of this riveting short..

  • But you, sir, can call me Mister Harvey.

    I thank you very much.

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