By Sam Bygrave
Photography by Dave McKelvey
This month, a departure for the Classic. Rye’s return has been a boon for drinkers seeking a strong, spicy spirit to strengthen their stirred drinks. But there’s other uses for it, like this long drink — the time for which is right now. With spring upon us, the sun returns and brings back some heat. It’s Sydney Bar Week, too, and you’re going to indulge in a spot of daytime drinking (if you know what’s good for you). So you’re going to need something that can ease you back into the swing of things, and we think we have it here.
This drink hails from Chicago’s Bub City, a bar emblazoned with exposed brick walls, a stage, and country music posters plastered to the wall, and an American flag made out of beer cans. They’ve got a wall dedicated to whiskey — American, that is — and a drink called the Whiskey Tango.
It’s not as though this kind of drink is without history, though. It’s not dissimilar to old recipes for punch, which often called for tea. Its just that this one is a quickfire concoction —and served straight from the slushee machine at the bar in Bub City.
Admittedly it’s not a style of drink you might immediately think of as classic, in the sense of buttoned-down vests, shirt stays and pomade; this one’s more a classic in the classic rock sense, in the style of Creedence and Lynard Skynard.
At Bub City, they make this drink with Wild Turkey, sweet tea, peach and lemon; you’ll get it served from a flannel-clad bartender in a tall, clear plasticware cup (think of Tupperware and you’ll know what I mean), garnished with a lemon wheel that has been spiked through its center with a straw. There’s a bucket load of crushed ice; there’s the punch of the whiskey (which with the rye we’ve chosen, is hard to miss), the refreshment of swetened iced tea and peach, and a little lemon to lengthen the palate. Hell, you could even say it’s a cool, refreshing drink.
If one of life’s finer pleasures is drinking in the daytime — and we don’t doubt that’s true — then you’d be well equipped with this drink. And it’s just what you’ll need this September when Sydney Bar Week comes around.
Whiskey Tango
60ml Wild Turkey Rye
20ml TMD Peach Liqueur
90ml sweetened tea
15ml lemon juice
Build over crushed ice, garnish with a straw poked through the centre of a lemon wheel.
Reconstructed from a drunk night in Chicago.
