[#whiskyphTip] The Smokey Cokey.

One way to enjoy a good dram of whisky is to experiment with your concoctions. This week we blend a peaty single malt whisky with good old coca cola.

While some purists and snobs might shake their heads at the thought of mixing a good whisky with a strong flavored mixer like coke, I believe that this drink is delicious and has so much potential.

I've always felt like a Smokey Cokey is a good way to get your non-whisky drinking friends curious about #whisky. Since everyone knows what coke tastes like, it's easy for anyone to observe the smoky influence the whisky will have on the cocktail.

And since anyone who has ever gone to a college party has tried a Jack Coke, this is a good opportunity to show your friends that there are many great whiskies in the world beyond the standard #JackDaniels.

As far as I know, the Smokey Cokey blend was popularized by whisky writer Dave Broom in Whisky Magazine. Making one is simple. All you need is to mix the following in a Glencairn Glass:
1. 40ml of Lagavulin 16 and
2. 40ml of cold Coca cola

This simple blend already tastes like a proper cocktail. Apart from the inviting bacon smokiness, the coke helps uncover a grassy salted citrus flavor of the whisky. In turn, the Lagavulin perfectly heightens the syrupy sweetness of the coke.

If your friends feel like this blend is too strong, try this recipe:
1. Drop 1 ice cube in a tumbler and stir until there is frost. Pour out the excess water
2. Add 40ml of Lagavulin 16 and stir 10 times
3. Top off 120ml of coca cola and stir 5 times
4. Add a lemon wedge as garnish

#Lagavulin 16 (P4,500) is undoubtedly the star of the original recipes for a #SmokeyCokey but I've found that it works just as well with other heavily #peated whiskies like the #Ardbeg 10 (P3,300) or the #Laphroaig Quarter Cask (P2,850).

I do get the apprehension against using a pricey whisky like Lagavulin 16 that costs 3 to 4 times a bottle of Jack. Still, if you've had 3 to 4 Jack Cokes in your life, why not try a Smokey Cokey even just once? I swear it's really good. Cheers!🥃

Image Courtesy of @WhiskyPH

@WhiskyPH

At its core, whisky appreciation is an exercise in memory. Notes of a whisky enthusiast in the Philippines. 🥃🇵🇭