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Whiskey was a part of Mad Men from the very first shot of the very first episode – Don Draper is doodling on a napkin in the corner booth of a bar with an empty glass.

“Do this again. Old Fashioned, please,” he tells the bartender.

Later in that episode, Joan gives secretary survival advice to Peggy (also just good workplace survival advice if you don’t happen to have a secretary):

Joan: Keep a fifth of something in your desk. Mr. Draper drinks rye. Also, invest in some aspirin, some band-aids, and a needle and thread.

Peggy: Rye is Canadian, right?

Joan: You better find out.

Whiskey goes on to make many more appearances on the show. It’s on Joan’s list of office supplies. It’s what Don pours to celebrate a new ad client, to toast a coworker, or just whenever he walks into his office or apartment.

It’s hard to watch an episode and not want a drink. So in honor of Mad Men finally returning, I am prepared with the makings for an old-fashioned and Don’s favorite whiskey brand – Canadian Club.  Cue the strings for the theme music – it’s time for the ad men and their adulterous, cocktail-filled lives.

Old Fashioned Recipe (from AMC website)

Ingredients:

2 dashes aromatic bitters
½ teaspoon sugar dissolved with water and bitters
1 ½ ounces of bourbon (or in this case, Canadian Club)
1 cherry
1 orange slice
1 lemon wedge

Fill glass with ice. Add cherry, orange slice, and lemon wedge. Pour in whiskey. 

 
 
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Village Whiskey in Philadelphia (slogan "eats and neats") has an old-school charm that makes it easy to imagine Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson signing the Declaration of Independence downtown then having a pour at this dark-lit pub.
 
 
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Nothing says true love like whiskey and Valentine cookies. The cookies are a special recipe from my grandma, but with an added twist of whiskey buttercream frosting that I'm sure Grandpa would have enjoyed. The frosting recipe comes from the delectable flour cookbook by Joanne Chang. And the secret is to whip the hell out of it. 
 
 
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The sun is always just about to set in Char No. 4 on Smith Street in Brooklyn. The light in the bar is a pale amber that matches the four shelves of whiskey lining the walls, reminding me of that hour before evening during Autumn. The bar is so calming, you want to take off your coat, find a stool, stay for awhile. Stay forever. Put a bed in the corner and wake up every day to the shelves and shelves of whiskey bottles – some familiar, some to be new friends.

 
 
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_ Sometimes new packaging can go a little too far. Like when you take a Scotch label and put it on a can. And then put whisk(e)y in the can.

But that’s what the Panama-based company, Scottish Spirits, is trying, without the approval of the Scotch Whisky Association, which is trying to stop it.

According to an article by Mark Howarth in the MailOnline, chief executive of Scottish Spirits, Manish Panshal, said this will make whiskey a “part of every lifestyle.” He goes on to say, “The can is the perfect size to be shared between three people who can mix it with other things like cola. It’s lightweight and portable and entirely recyclable, which is good news. It will be one of the hot picks for any outdoor activities.”
 
 
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Overheard at a whiskey bar:
“Whiskey, the favorite cure for a cold that doesn’t work.”

But does it? I know whiskey often makes me feel better, or at least one glass isn’t going to make me feel worse. I decided to find out if whiskey can actually do more than cure just a bad day. Since I'm feeling healthy, I went to the source for all medical advice today - the internet.
 
 
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This bag was featured on the GQ website last week, and I have to admit, it's classier than wrapping those bottles in plastic bags and sticking them in your purse. Plus there is room for two? That's just thinking ahead for a nice beach picnic. I'm not sure what I would use the tonic and limes for, but the extra space could fit some nice crackers and cheese instead. Maybe a little chocolate...

_Sean Hotchkiss gave this description on the website:
Michael Williams of A Continuous Lean, and Bushmills Irish Whiskey have collaborated on a canvas tote that is packing something special for tailgaters and anyone else looking for a portable party. The bag, unveiled last Wednesday to a downtown crowd gathered at Billy Reid's Bond Street shop, has two sheaths designated for 750ml bottles of Bushmills, and enough space to tuck away some tonic and limes. At $20, this is probably the best deal on a Made-in-the-USA tote going. All proceeds head to The Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

 
 
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Having a whiskey blog led to a nice trend this holiday season - whiskey-inspired gifts. I guess in a way, a whiskey blog could be considered a wish list - not only for the whiskey itself, but also for whiskey accessories (yes - they exist!).

One couple searched my blog to figure out which bottle of Scotch to give me and decided on a Lagavulin 16-year. Well-played. My mom sent me a pair of tasting glasses from the Washington distillery we visited as a stocking stuffer. Those have already been put to good use with the Lagavulin.
 
 
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A good cocktail is a nice way to ring in the New Year, especially when two kinds of whiskey and a bourbon-soaked cherry are involved. This year, I was treated to a little whiskey in my whiskey by our hosts, who introduced me to the cocktail "Honey on Rye":

Honey on Rye:
Rye (we used Ri)
A splash of Wild Turkey American Honey (a liqueur blended with honey and bourbon)
Maraschino cherry (preferably of the bourbon-soaked variety)

A delicious start to 2012!
 
 
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When I asked Nicole what whiskey she was drinking, she said, “My own.”

I ordered the same – it’s not often I get to have a glass of whiskey with the person who made it.

Nicole Austin, 27, has the enviable title of “whiskey maker” at Kings County Distillery, in East Williamsburg, which she runs with Colin Spoelman and David Haskell.

By day, she works in environmental engineering. But on nights and weekends, she can be found sampling the barrels at Kings County Distillery and bottling the bourbon or corn whiskey when ready.
 

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