Bourbon Rickey
Bourbon, half a lime and soda over ice, no sugar. The original Rickey of 1883 — before gin took it over — and the driest whiskey highball there is.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Squeeze half a lime into the glass and drop the shell in.
Add the bourbon and top with cold soda water.
Stir once and serve.
A thoughtful finish
- No sugar. That is the Rickey's definition and the reason it refreshes; with sugar it is a Collins.
- Rye is closer to the 1883 whiskey and drier; bourbon is softer and the common modern version.
- Hard ice and very cold soda; with nothing sweet in the glass, cold and fizz are the whole experience.
Common mistakes
- Adding syrup.
- Lemon instead of lime.
- A soft, sweet bourbon drowned in soda; use a higher-proof bottle.
A few good questions.
What is the difference between a Bourbon Rickey and a Gin Rickey?
The spirit. The bourbon version is the 1883 original; gin took over in the 1890s and is better known.
Is there sugar in a Rickey?
No. A Rickey is spirit, lime and soda with no sweetener; that is what makes it a Rickey rather than a Collins.
Rye or bourbon?
Rickey drank rye or bourbon depending on the account; rye is drier, bourbon softer. Both are correct.
Who was Joe Rickey?
A Missouri-born lobbyist and political operator in 1880s Washington who gave the drink his name and later complained that he was remembered for it.
Variations
- Gin Rickey — Gin, lime and soda.
- Whiskey Highball — Whisky and soda, no citrus.
- John Collins — Bourbon, lemon, sugar and soda.
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon, lemon and sugar.
Where it comes from
1883 · Washington, D.C. · George Williamson; Colonel Joe Rickey (namesake) · Shoomaker's
The Rickey was a bourbon drink first. Colonel Joe Rickey, a Missouri lobbyist, took his whiskey with lime and soda at Shoomaker’s in Washington in the early 1880s, and George Williamson, the bartender, is credited with fixing the drink and the name around 1883. Gin replaced bourbon in the 1890s as gin became fashionable and the Gin Rickey went on to fame; the bourbon original survived in the capital and was named, with its gin cousin, the official native cocktail of the District of Columbia in 2011. It is a Whiskey Sour without the sugar and with soda — bone-dry and refreshing.
Sources
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
- George J. Kappeler, Modern American Drinks, 1895 (book)
- Council of the District of Columbia, Rickey resolution, 2011 (legal)
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 12% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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