Maybe it's regional -- I kept getting a blankish look and a tentative "Straight up?" in response.

Neat spirits tend to be asked for as a single (single whisky, single vodka etc). All I ask is, "Anything with that?" The answer is usually no, but I give them a chance to confirm - they might have mumbled the part about ice or a mixer...

I was just reminiscing with a college buddy about how in Atlanta we used to buy 12 bottles of Southpaw for $5.99 ... drinkin on the cheap!

fresh, when you start drawing a steady paycheck you'll probably wonder why you ever bothered drinking that piss liquor. but remember, maturity is optional.

I remember drinking in Montrebeque once and ordering a gin and tonic. Pretty straight forward, you'd think; Gin, ice, glass, tonic water, lime slice.

Oh no. Gin, in a shot glass. Tonic, in a rocks glass. Both room temp. No lime in sight.

Ooooo Kaaaaay

After trying to discover if Montrebeque was a city or an island -- Google left me little the wiser; it seems to be either in upstate New York or somewhere in Canada -- I better ask if this alleged gin and tonic was the approach all over town, or if that bartender didn't know his business. Or didn't want yours. Seems like that attitude would cut into his tips.

My tastes have definately changed. As a young teen it was always Cider or Tennants Super (cheap strong lager). As an older teen it was vodka (neat) or brandy (with coke).

Nowadays it tends to be real ales, lagers or wine. Though I have recently rediscovered cider, it tends only to be mixed fruit I can't stand apple cider.


[eta] Forgot the Jack D. an occassional old friend. Straight up. Used to prefer Wild Turkey, but can't seem to buy that in Yorkshire.

Sorry I forgot Montrebeque is just a regional aspersion against french canadians from Montreal or Quebec. When I lived in Burlington we'd get a lot of them from over the border and they'd get a lot of us. I suppose the love was mutual.

As for the G&T in montreal I think that was how they did it at that bar. No one had ice in their drinks.

Maybe in Montreal they expect you to go outside and get it yourself?

Snob Scotches should not be drunk with ice, as the chill impairs the bouquet you're drinking the stuff for in the first place.

But a warm G&T is like leaving the ice out of a Manhattan Iced Tea.

DanaC, have you considered trying a Canadian? Like many things Canadian, they're somewhere in between -- but this one's actually an effective bridge between the two kinds.

I've had hypnotiq once, it tasted like candy.

the difference is in the assumption/expectation. Brits don't say "neat" because that's what we expect. "On the rocks" or "with ice' will get you the cold hard stuff. Ice is optional in pop. Last time I was over, I noticed you get it is standard more in the south than the North. in the US it's compulsory to get as much ice in the glass as physically fucking possible. I like the happy medium on that one.


Regards uni, I used to drink Black Russians with diet coke, but then I met beest who barfs at the merest hint of spirits/liquor (bad 18th bday experience) so I moved to beer. My tastes are going backwards. After abandoning the spirits I drank real ale and bitter. Then I moved and was disappointed, so I changed again completely. Now I drink Bud. Bottles though. No can shall pervert the taste. And none of that Lite crap. :lol:

More like a baby that had spit up candy.. but hey that's just me. :greenface

Oh wait that was tequila rose.. :greenface :greenface