The Case For Taking Your Whiskey With Sprite - Don't Knock It 'Til You Try It - Tasting Table

"We know whiskey purists may cry foul, but we're confident two things will change those minds. One, we're not asking you to mix your prized bourbons with soda; more mainstream, affordable whiskeys are the way to go here. Two, this combo is just plain tasty, essentially a shortcut to capturing some of the whiskey/lemon/sweetness flavor notes of iconic cocktails like the whiskey sour."

"Jameson recommends this pairing with a recipe on its website: One part Jameson, three parts Sprite, enjoyed over ice with a lime wedge. Why does this work so well? For the same reasons that anything marrying whiskey with acidity and sweetness does, like in a gold rush cocktail with whiskey, lemon, and honey. Some of whiskey's most identifiable flavors include vanilla, oak, baking spices, caramel, leather, tobacco, and botanicals, creating a rounded, spicy sweetness."

Mixing whiskey with Sprite creates a refreshing, citrus-forward highball that highlights fruity and spicy elements in the spirit. A simple recipe is one part whiskey to three parts Sprite served over ice with a lime wedge. Sprite's lemon-lime acidity cuts whiskey's vanilla, oak, baking spices, caramel, leather, tobacco, and botanical notes while its sweetness complements those flavors. Carbonation adds a crisp, lifted finish. Budget-friendly, mainstream whiskeys (roughly under $30) are recommended for this pairing rather than premium sipping bourbons. Examples suggested by enthusiasts include Wild Turkey 101 for pronounced alcohol character.

Read at Tasting Table