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Until Recently, tempering Scotch whisky with mixers was considered a sacrilege. Despite the occasional Rob Roy or rusty nail, real men imbibed their Scotch neat or on the rocks. Not so in the mother country. British quaffers treat their smoky brew with more nonchalance—and a measure of imagination. Ginger ale, soda and lemonada (in England, a fizzy, lemon-flavored soft drink) are favorite mixers. Scotch whisky and cola—don't wince—makes it with the younger crowd. Traditional drinks, such as sours, old fashioneds and milk punches, are not unknown, and many an angler casting his bait on the waters of the River Tay or the Strath Oykell—one of the queen mother's favorite salmon streams—packs a container of Gaelic coffee: Scotch whisky, hot Java, cream and a "wee pickle o' sugar."

Bell's, the leading Scotch-whisky brand in the U.K., attributes much of its vanguard position to use in mixed potions. There are indications that that tilt toward mixing has not gone unnoticed in the United States. A number of first-rate local bars have taken to featuring Scotch-based specialty drinks—to the evident delight of their savvy clientele. The communications and finance wizards who crowd the spacious bar at (continued on page 226)Heather Weather(continued from page 99) Manhattan's Four Seasons relish the restaurant's original mixture of Scotch, Grand Marnier and dry vermouth. Tony Vallone, proprietor of Tony's in Houston, created the Texas bellini—Scotch, champagne and fresh peach juice—to titillate his Texas oil-tycoon patrons. Scotch cocktails have even penetrated the Sun Belt. At Oscar Taylor's Phoenix, bartenders combine Scotch with crème de cassis to make a purple heather. And New York's "21" Club is selling more honey bears than ever, according to veteran barman Bru Danger. The drink is essentially a Scotch sour—sweetened with honey rather than sugar.

But, it's fair to ask, why should you want to mix anything with Scotch whisky in the first place? For the same reason you'd sip it neat or on the rocks—for the crisp, dry, peaty tang unique to Scotch. That assertive note carries over to the cocktail, complementing the mixer rather than losing its identity. Therefore, Scotch combinations have complexity, character, depth and excellent balance.

If you've been assuming that lighter Scotches are more suitable for mixing purposes, you may want to reconsider. Scotch regulars use the same brand or style in the shaker that they take neat or over ice. After all, it's the same palate you want to please. Logic aside, there are many with a preference for Scotch cocktails who draw the line at mixing with such exalted specimens as Chivas Royal Salute, Ballantine's 30-year-old, Johnnie Walker Black Label and Swing, Dewar's Ancestor, Royal Ages and unblended malt whiskies.

Unimpeachable examples of classic and contemporary Scotch-based drinks follow. Add them to your repertoire of bracing drinks with a burr.

[recipe_title]The Fans[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1 oz. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. triple sec[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. grapefruit juice[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 slice orange[/drinkRecipe]

Pour Scotch and triple sec over ice cubes in old fashioned glass; stir briskly to blend. Pour in fruit juice; stir quickly. Hang orange slice on rim of glass.

[recipe_title]Blue Nile[/recipe_title]

We're indebted to Fergus McLarty, executive secretary of The Saint Andrews Society of the State of New York, for this drink. You wouldn't want a finer recommendation.

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. Rose's Lime Juice[/drinkRecipe]

Place ice cubes in old fashioned glass. Add whisky and lime juice; stir well to chill.

[recipe_title]Purple Heather[/recipe_title]

Purple heather the way they grow it in Arizona.

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. crème de cassis[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Club soda, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

Shake Scotch and liqueur briskly with cracked ice. Pour unstrained into tall glass. Add soda, to taste; stir quickly.

[recipe_title]Mamie Taylor[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 lime[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Ginger ale, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

Place ice cubes in highball glass. Squeeze in lime juice; add peel. Pour in whisky; stir. Add ginger ale, to taste.

Note: This drink is served with ginger beer instead of ginger ale on occasion.

[recipe_title]The Godfather[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/4 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. amaretto[/drinkRecipe]

Pour ingredients over ice cubes in old fashioned glass. Stir very well to combine and chill.

[recipe_title]The Four Seasons French Rob[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]23/4 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/4 oz. dry vermouth[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Generous dash Grand Marnier[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Lemon-peel strip[/drinkRecipe]

Stir Scotch, vermouth and Grand Marnier with ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Twist peel over drink and add to glass.

[recipe_title]English Channel[/recipe_title]

From Dan Beck, head bartender at Keen Restaurant, Manhattan.

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz. Irish cream liqueur[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. Cointreau[/drinkRecipe]

All ingredients should be chilled. Pour gently back and forth between two chilled containers. Pour into chilled glass over one ice cube. Garnish with strip of orange peel if you like.

[recipe_title]Loch Ness[/recipe_title]

A favorite at the Hilton International, London. The green and red cherries presumably symbolize the monster's eyes.

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]1/2 oz. ginger wine[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Slice orange[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Slice lemon[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Green cherry[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Red cherry[/drinkRecipe]

Pour whisky and ginger wine over ice in old fashioned glass. Stir well. Garnish with fruit.

[recipe_title]Scotch Orange[/recipe_title]

[drinkRecipe]1-1/2 ozs. Scotch[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3 ozs. orange juice, chilled[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Orange slice or pineapple chunk[/drinkRecipe]

Pour whisky and juice over ice in highball glass. Stir. Garnish with fruit.

[recipe_title]Double Scotch[/recipe_title]

An embellishment on the rusty nail.

[drinkRecipe]1-1/3 ozs. Scotch whisky[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]3/4 oz: Scotch liqueur (Drambuie, Lochan Ora, Glayva)[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]2 dashes orange bitters[/drinkRecipe]

[drinkRecipe]Orange-peel strip[/drinkRecipe]

Pour whisky and liqueur over ice cubes in old fashioned glass. Dash in orange bitters. Stir well to chill. Twist peel over drink, then drop into glass.

Early fall is an opportune time to explore the matter of Scotch cocktails. The weather turns brisk and your body craves something more invigorating than a screwdriver or a collins. Find another body with the same craving and have a scholarly seminar on the versatility of Scotch.

"At Oscar Taylor's Phoenix, bartenders combine Scotch with crème de cassis to make a purple heather."