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What Soda to Mix with Whiskey

Richard Hammond
Blog
·4 min read·
Two glasses of whiskey and soda

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Made by aging fermented and distilled grains in wooden barrels, whiskey has been the drink of choice for centuries.

For whiskey lovers, there’s nothing better than kicking back with a good glass of scotch, rye, or bourbon.

While some people enjoy the drink neat or on the rocks, others prefer cutting it with a mixer.

In this article, we explore the best soda to mix with whiskey.

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is probably the most popular soda to have with whiskey. It adds a desirable sweetness to your drink, along with some deeper flavors like molasses.

To mix the perfect whiskey and Coke, simply fill a highball glass with three parts Coke with one-part whiskey.

If you like your drink to be ice-cold, add a few cubes of ice before mixing the drink. For the perfect finishing touch, garnish your drink with a slice of lime.

If you want to turn your whiskey and Coke into a cocktail, you may enjoy ‘Jack in Black’, a whiskey-based cocktail made from Jack Daniels. To make a Jack in Black, ¾ fill a rocks glass with ice and pour in 35ml of Jack Daniels.

Add in 15ml of coffee liqueur and top the glass up with Coke. Finally, stir gently and garnish with a cherry.

Lemonade

Lemonade is also a popular mixer for whiskey, particularly in Tennessee. Lemonade works well with whiskey as it adds a clean and crisp flavor to the drink.

Unlike Coke, it’s also great for quenching your thirst, making it a popular beverage for a sunny afternoon. If you want to try whiskey and lemonade, a Lynchburg Lemonade cocktail is your best bet.

To make the drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with cubed ice
  2. Pour in 35ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Add 12.5 ml of Triple Sec
  4. Add 12.5ml of fresh lemon juice
  5. Finally, top up the glass with lemonade and garnish with a lemon slice

Lemon-Lime Soda

Lemon-lime is similar to lemonade but slightly sweeter, making it a refreshing soda to mix with whiskey.

For a basic whiskey and lemon-lime, simply mix 3 parts of lemon-lime soda with 1-part whiskey in a highball glass with ice.

If you want to take your drink to the next level, try the Raspberry Lynchburg, instead.

To make the drink:

  1. Half fill a shaker with ice
  2. Add 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. 22.5ml of lime juice, 7.5ml of sugar syrup, and 15ml of Chambord
  4. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds
  5. Pour the mixture into a highball glass with ice.
  6. Top up the glass with lemon-lime soda
  7. Finish with a drizzle of Chambord and a raspberry to garnish.

Ginger Ale

The powerful flavor of ginger ale goes well with whiskey. The soda adds a drop of sweetness, along with a tangy zing from the ginger.

To make the drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with cubed ice
  2. Add in 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up with ginger ale
  4. Garnish the drink with a wedge of lime.

Appletiser

Appletiser adds a delicious combination of acidity, tartness, and sweetness to your whiskey.

To make your drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with cubed ice
  2. Pour in 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up the glass with Appletiser
  4. Garnish with a few apple slices

Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew is another popular soda to mix with whiskey – in fact, the soda was literally designed to be mixed with whiskey.

In the 1930s, fizzy drinks were more regional in distribution than national. In the South, RC Cola was popular. In Tennessee, the Harman Brothers enjoyed drinking soda pop and but couldn’t find a good mixer to go with their Tennessee Whiskey.

Instead of settling for Cola, they decided the create their own. With the help of Charles Gordon, the Hartman Brothers began to bottle their creation in the Tri-Cities area of Eastern Tennessee.

The original logo for the drink included a hillbilly moonshiner with the phrase “will tickle your innards”. Before long, the drink skyrocketed in popularity and Mountain Dew was born.

To mix Mountain Dew with whiskey:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with cubed ice
  2. Pour in 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up with Mountain Dew and enjoy!

Club Soda

While flavored sodas are great, their sweet flavor often masks the intricate flavors of the whiskey.

If you want to avoid this, opt for club soda, instead.

As club soda has a neutral flavor, it won’t interfere with the flavor of your favorite whiskey. Plus, the drink will have fewer calories and zero sugar, which is always a bonus!

To create your drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with cubed ice
  2. Pour in 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up with club soda
  4. Finish with a garnish of your choice

Dr. Pepper

Dr. Pepper is another popular soda to mix with whiskey. If you’re a fan of the sugary beverage, mix it with your favorite whiskey to take the drink to the next level.

To make your drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a highball glass with ice
  2. Add 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up with Dr. Pepper
  4. Garnish with a cherry or two

Root Beer

People have started mixing whiskey with root beer, and the taste is out of this world.

The soda adds a sweet flavor with a hint of spice that contrasts with the smoky notes in the whiskey. Root beer has a strong flavor and tends to be sweeter than cola.

If you drink diet sodas, don’t panic. There are several diet root beers out there, so choose your favorite and enjoy.

To make your drink:

  1. Fill ¾ of a root beer mug with ice
  2. Pour in 50ml of your favorite whiskey
  3. Top up with root beer
  4. stir, and serve

So, there you have it, the best soda to mix with whiskey. For many people, their preference changes with their mood. If you’re in the mood for something sweet, try mixing Mountain Dew or root beer. If you’d prefer something plain, opt for a neutral-flavored club soda.