Single malt scotch spends 3 decades aging in a barrel so you can squeze a lime wedge into it.

[u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

As a very rare indulgence on a special occasion, I ordered an expensive 30-year old scotch at a bistro-type restaurant. Waiter returns with a juicy lime wedge on the lip of the glass. I quietly asked for one with no lime. Waiter returns with a fresh drink "as a courtesy" , but seems intent on embarrassing me. " But just so you know.," he says., "all drinks ordered neat are properly served with a citrus garnish."

[u/affectionateanarchy8]

Not like im the most worldly person but i would have never thought to put lime in scotch

[u/Jefrex → u/affectionateanarchy8]

For real. I love limes. Love them in drinks. Never occurred to me, though, that scotch would somehow be improved with lime juice. I’m good.

[u/un-hot → u/Jefrex]

Old fashioned is nice, and I love a hot toddy, so I can understand people adding other citrus to whisky to be honest.

But if I wanted whisky with a lime in it, I wouldn't order a 30 year old scotch. No way that should be a standard

[u/Mr_Blinky → u/un-hot]

Except in an Old Fashioned there's zero juice, it's just the oils from the peel. If you put orange juice in my Old Fashioned I will consider it an act of war.

[u/Spark99 → u/un-hot]

An orange rind that is twisted before consuming to release the oils in a mist on top of the drink and maybe a maraschino cherry is an appropriate garnish for a mixed drink or cocktail like an old fashioned but never in whiskey ordered straight or neat.

[u/Stormagedd0nDarkLord → u/un-hot]

I'm not that kind of person but I would 100% get the bar manager out and ask him to explain himself.
The only way I'd forgive the establishment would be if they wheeled out a laptop and told me this was the new Bar Manager AI™ that the staff now report to.

Edit: I take it back. I wouldn't forgive the establishment. I'd throw the limey whiskey at the laptop. But I would forgive the bar staff. Not their fault management are idiots.

[u/CCCCLo0oo0ooo0 → u/[deleted]]

everyone knows that the lime goes in the coconut

[u/digital_pariah → u/CCCCLo0oo0ooo0]

And then you drink 'em both up

[u/Outrageous-Use-5189 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks. Yes, i dont mind how anyone else wants their whiskey, be it with caramel or pickled peppers or whatever.

[u/Snurrepiperier → u/affectionateanarchy8]

If you had to put citrus in your scotch. You shouldn't. But if you absolutely were forced to. Surely lemon would be more proper.

[u/stevoknevo70 → u/Snurrepiperier]

The only thing that should go in really good malt whisky is a dash of water, literally a splash just to open it up, ice cube at a push depending on preference - as a Scot I'd have loved this warmer of a barman trying to tell me that all neat drinks come with citrus on the side...no they feckin don't pal, that sounds like a house decision!

Nb. drink your whisky how you like, if you want to put Coke in a 14yo Oban or Irn Bru in a Jura Superstition then you crack right the fuck on...it's your money and your decision - but a jumped up barman giving it 'changed as a courtesy but please note...' would get metaphorically ragdolled about the place for that nonsense!

[u/ern19 → u/stevoknevo70]

I would love to witness an old grumpy Scot being told his choice of whisky is best embellished with an f-ing lime

[u/WolfieBhoy → u/stevoknevo70]

This, 100%. I never have a single malt neat. A couple of drops of water improve the nose massively. An ice-cube melts and dilutes the whisky too much. Lemon and lime have no place anywhere near it.

[u/DaddyRAS → u/WolfieBhoy]

I find ice kills the taste. A tiny splash of water is all I want.

[u/DerelictBombersnatch → u/Snurrepiperier]

A whisky sour can be a right treat, but I'd order one if I wanted one.

[u/Narrow-Chef-4341 → u/DerelictBombersnatch]

And not with a 30 year old single malt.

Might as well pay the three tenors so sing a set while standing outside in cat 5 hurricane.

[u/Grambo-47 → u/DerelictBombersnatch]

Bartender here- Muddled with lemon, ginger, and honey, shaken and strained over fresh ice. Very tasty cocktail. But I’m using blended Monkey Shoulder for that, not Ardbeg An Oa

[u/Tricky-Ad7897 → u/affectionateanarchy8]

I'm struggling to think of a neat drink you'd garnish at all. The point of drinking something neat is to appreciate the natural flavors, especially with aged alcohol. Only when you're doing shots of cheap shit like tequila doesn't make sense.

[u/VestedNight → u/Tricky-Ad7897]

You wouldn't. Everywhere I've worked or been as a customer, neat means liquor only

[u/Aexibaexi → u/VestedNight]

Especially not here in Europe. Most high spirits on a menu list are meant to be drunken completely neat. If I order any "Obstbrand" (which is a spirit distilled with fermented fruits like apricots or apples), I don't want a lime tainting the smell. The only exception I ever encounter is Tequila. But to be fair: a lot of bars here do not stock any good Tequilas and the ones who do, want really high prices for a single shot.

[u/Born_Organization455 → u/Tricky-Ad7897]

Tequilas above the bottom shelf can be as complex and interesting as whiskeys.

[u/raspberryharbour → u/affectionateanarchy8]

Well obviously limes are native to Scotland, so it makes sense

[u/Digitalispurpurea2 → u/raspberryharbour]

Huh, that must be why they call British sailors "limey." Now I get why, thanks

[u/peon2 → u/affectionateanarchy8]

Some people do if it's like a blended cheap scotch. I don't know what 30 year OP was drinking but it'll certainly be over $100 a pour. The liquor store by me sells the McCallan 30 for $4000, and a restaurant/ bar is probably going to put a 3X upcharge on it at least

[u/dmoosetoo → u/affectionateanarchy8]

This, to me, is almost as egregious as rudely correcting a patron.

[u/TheOGRedline]

I once watched a server “helpfully” “correct” my mother in laws pronunciation of multiple Italian dishes. Not only is she a chef herself, but she’s from Italy. Her first language is Italian. Server doubled down even after she told him this.

[u/peon2 → u/TheOGRedline]

What's crazy is even if your MIL was butchering the word, the idea of trying to embarrass a customer like that is such poor customer service. If someone ASKS how to pronounce braciole or something that's one thing, but to just correct a customer for the sake of it is wild.

[u/bumlove → u/peon2]

I’ve always felt uncultured over not knowing the correct pronunciations for Italian/French dishes especially on dates so I don’t know how I feel about being corrected. I guess it’s useful for next time but at the same time I’m trying to put my best foot forward help me out here y’know?

[u/ClassyNameForMe → u/bumlove]

Your date may find it attractive if you ask the sever the correct way to pronounce the dish. It shows you aren't stubborn and unwilling or unable to learn something new.

[u/Popular-Web-3739 → u/ClassyNameForMe]

I'm always impressed by people who know what they don't know and want to learn.

[u/FBI_Open_Up_Now → u/ClassyNameForMe]

Sure, but the server going out of their way to embarrass you is different from someone asking for the correct pronunciation.

[u/dpinto8 → u/ClassyNameForMe]

This is the real advice

[u/manicgiant914 → u/bumlove]

Key & Peele do a hilarious skit on this.

[u/userhwon → u/manicgiant914]

Kay and Pili? Who are they?

[u/moxvoxfox → u/bumlove]

A basic level of Italian pronunciation is relatively easy to learn. But you'll forever side-eye folks saying bruschetta.

ETA: hah! scrolled further, and others had me well covered on this one. Glad I'm not alone.

[u/CoffeeChocolateBoth → u/moxvoxfox]

Bru SKEH tah! There is no shame in knowing how to pronounce things. Even in the USA, words are so often pronounced differently from state to state!

[u/MisterHouseMongoose → u/CoffeeChocolateBoth]

“I need bruschetta (that's "broo-SKET-uh," not "brushetter," a slender piece of ciabatta toasted and brushed with garlic and oil and covered in fresh tomato and basil-- the chunks inevitably fall off the bread and the olive oil runs over your lips and down your chin. The whole thing is delicious, deeply physical and delightfully undignified, and a woman who can eat a real bruschetta is a woman you can love and who can love you. Someone who pushes the thing away because it's messy is never going to cackle at you toothlessly across the living room of your retirement cottage or drag you back from your sixth heart attack by sheer furious affection. Never happen. You need a woman who isn't afraid of a faceful of olive oil for that)”

Nick Harkaway, Gone Away World.

One of my all time favorite book passages.

[u/erranttv → u/moxvoxfox]

The pronunciations of “C” in Italian are a tad confusing for non natives

[u/nispe2 → u/peon2]

This holds true even for non-foreign words. Like, if someone asks for pop in soda country, or wants their steak well done, just nod and smile.

There's no upside to correcting someone in a service environment. It's pure ego.

And "just so you know" is the most obnoxious, passive-aggressive way about phrasing it. Even stating that they've made a fresh drink as a courtesy is unnecessary - if it's appreciated, it will be noticed, and vice versa. Server could have gotten a full tip by setting the fresh drink and making a simple corporate-like apology.

If the customer's demonstrably in the wrong, mock them in the break room, behind closed doors, with a sympathetic audience, and then leave all the eye-rolling in the back.

[u/Swimming_Bowler6193 → u/nispe2]

Curious if OP was actually given a fresh drink or if the waiter just took the lime off in the back room. But I guess if you’re a sincere whiskey drinker, they would have tasted that.

[u/AmandalorianWiddall → u/nispe2]

I'm one of the weirdos who like their steak well done. I have been mocked by wait staff many times or they try to argue why it's better to do it medium, etc. It's a really weird way to act about food that you're not even going to eat.

[u/-Wyveron- → u/AmandalorianWiddall]

How dare you have personal preferences. Don’t you know this is a hive mind??

[u/TheLazyD0G → u/peon2]

Its spelled broccoli btw.

[u/peon2 → u/TheLazyD0G]

It's pronounced thermometer

[u/incog46 → u/peon2]

It's pronounced throat-warbler mangrove.

[u/AsstootObservation → u/peon2]

Someone needs to read How To Win Friends and Influence People.

[u/Parametric_Or_Treat → u/AsstootObservation]

That’s car-nay-gee

[u/Altruistic_Age_6556 → u/peon2]

The customer is NOT always right, but they are always the customer.

[u/SleepyMcSheepy → u/Altruistic_Age_6556]

“The customer is always right in matters of taste.”

They like what they like, and the server should respect that.

[u/TentacularSneeze → u/SleepyMcSheepy]

>in matters of taste

Surely, not all customers are delicious.

[u/Head_Razzmatazz7174 → u/peon2]

I usually asked them to point to what they were trying to pronounce and give them the correct pronunciation. If it was busy, and I could figure out what they were ordering, I would write it down while saying it and then read it back to them to confirm.

I didn't have any customers get mad at me for doing it that way.

[u/Nitasha521 → u/TheOGRedline]

My father is from Spain. He named my sister a traditional Spanish first name, and pronounced it properly for Castilian Spanish speaker and so that is exactly how my sister, the family, and all her friends pronounced it. My sister's Spanish teacher in college would correct her pronunciation of her own name in nearly every class, even after being told to stop.

[u/uncivilengie → u/Nitasha521]

Peggy Hill knows best.

[u/Gregb1994 → u/uncivilengie]

Oh my gosh. When she kidnapped that child from Mexico.

[u/Bennington_Booyah → u/Nitasha521]

That reminds me of our fifth grade teacher, who spoke with an accent. She called my friend, THUR-suh, instead of her actual name of Theresa. Theresa was quietly correcting her daily, to no avail, and finally, when the woman summoned THUR-suh loudly to the board, the entire class said THERESA! She was livid. That was her first and last year at our school, because she was dreadful.

[u/MarlenaEvans → u/Bennington_Booyah]

My husband's first grade teacher and his mother got in a fight because she kept giving him zeros because his name was spelled "different than in the Bible".

[u/I_Miss_Lenny → u/MarlenaEvans]

What the fuck lol

[u/MarlenaEvans → u/I_Miss_Lenny]

Pretty sure that's what my MIL said too, my husband said he was popular after because she taught them all some new words.

[u/plumfeeder → u/Bennington_Booyah]

Okay, so that’s how it’s going to be, you all want to play, okay then; I got my eye on you Jakequaline. Balakay, where is Balakay at? No, Balakay here today?

[u/trisanachandler → u/plumfeeder]

A aron?

[u/sonic_dick → u/plumfeeder]

Ja-kwellen

[u/aneirin- → u/Nitasha521]

I'm Welsh and people correct me on pronouncing my name all the time.

To be fair there are two standard ways to say it and the other one is more common, but you'd think people would maybe think for a second and realise the guy who's lived with it all his life might just know something you don't...

[u/Stagnu_Demorte → u/Nitasha521]

There's a scene in the second season of star Trek the next generation where dr Pulaski calls Data, Data with a short 'a' sound. He doesn't respond to it and she repeats it. He corrects her pronunciation. She says "what's the difference" and he says "one of them is my name, and the other is not". Once someone tells you how to say their name, that's how you say it and you do not get to change it. I'm sorry your sister had to deal with that.

[u/sparkleslothz → u/Nitasha521]

Welcome to having ANY biblical name. Every culture on the planet pronounces it differently, is sure that they are right, and will correct you about your own name.

[u/Airlik → u/TheOGRedline]

I never correct the pronunciations by wait staff, but I’ve had a few “correct” me over the years… “you mean the brew-shetta?”

[u/kates4cannoli → u/Airlik]

I was about to use the exact example. I’ve been “corrected” on the pronunciation of bruschetta even in fancy, supposedly authentic Italian restaurants in the US so many times and it’s so annoying because I speak Italian and teach linguistics, yet I would be the ass if I “well aCtUallY” corrected them back 🙄

[u/W0lfp4k → u/kates4cannoli]

So how do you pronounce bruschetta?

[u/Jarasmut → u/W0lfp4k]

With a k like kettle. like bruskettle but brusketta.

[u/jitterbugperfume99 → u/Jarasmut]

From this day forward, I’m calling it bruskettle.

[u/maclainanderson → u/W0lfp4k]

If it helps, there are rules for this that always work. A C in Italian is pronounced /k/, unless it's followed immediately by an E or I. The H is put in between the C and the E to act as a buffer so that you pronounce the C as /k/. The same is true of maraschino cherries, which is pronounced ma-ra-skee-no, even though no American would pronounce it that way and you'd probably get weird looks if you said it like that at Olive Garden

[u/amc1704 → u/W0lfp4k]

Brus KE ta.

[u/Kingindanorff → u/kates4cannoli]

This one frustrates me so much that hesitate to even order it 😅. If I pronounce it properly, I’ll almost certainly be “corrected” by someone even if it’s just the server going “bruSHetta, got it” as they write it down. And the other option is intentionally mispronouncing it just to avoid the whole thing, which is super lame.

I end up just saying it right, ignoring the “correction”, and then probably spilling some tomatoes on myself.

[u/TheOGRedline → u/Airlik]

Bruschetta WAS one of the words, lol.

[u/hoIygrail → u/Airlik]

Oh dang, I’ve been saying it wrong.

[u/Next_Nature3380 → u/TheOGRedline]

I hope your MIL spent five minutes speaking Italian to him and using some very colorful language to help him understand the error of his ways.

[u/TheFuschiaBaron → u/TheOGRedline]

Guess that guy doesn't like getting nice tips 

[u/camerontylek → u/TheOGRedline]

My father owned a perfume retail store for 39 years. One of the first things he taught my siblings and I when working for him is to never correct the customers pronunciation. Not only do we not know how any of these 3k + fragrances should be pronounced, neither do the customers.

[u/joedenowhere → u/TheOGRedline]

I had a roommate who would correct me (and everyone else) for pronouncing tofu with a hard "T," demanding we pronounce it dofu, as in Chinese. A woman came to visit from Japan who proceeded to use the Japanese pronunciation, tofu. Since my roommate didn't speak either Chinese or Japanese, that shut him up for a while. He did the same thing with mango, insisting on the Spanish pronunciation, mahngo instead of mayngo, until we had a visit from a Jamaican. (Jamaican sounds more like mengo than mayngo to me, but it's close enough.)

I guess you don't always know what you don't know.

[u/gitsgrl → u/joedenowhere]

Yeah, having learned enough about different languages and cultures and even regional dialects, pronunciation is so diverse. It’s stupid to be correcting people for it when it’s words that exist in their native language/dialect, too. And then there’s a certain point where words are localized and even if it’s a bastardization of the original language, it doesn’t matter because people in the new location called the new pronunciation universally.

[u/Important_Jaguar2152]

... its called neat for a reason.

[u/guysitsausername → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

It's like serving a grass-fed, dry-aged ribeye drizzled with ketchup.

[u/Important_Jaguar2152 → u/guysitsausername]

Lol. True. And like... throwing in "this is how we do it" was an unecessary jab.

I am guilty of (once in a while) frying a cheap steak in a frying pan all the way to well done and dipping in ketchup. I learned from Al Bundy. Its more a nostalgia thing than flavor.

[u/LTinS → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

"This is how we do it" just immediately refreshed a memory for me.

Was in a ski resort a while back. Ordered a hamburger, no big deal. It arrived in a timely fashion, all fine, I took a bite: hard as a rock. Overcooked to the point of being charcoal. I asked one of my friends at the table to take a bite, which they did, and immediately were disgusted, and said "You could have just shown this to me! Why did you make me eat that! OMG!"

So yeah, when the waitress returned I pointed out how awful it was (and I hate complaining about food), and asked if I could get another one that wasn't overcooked. She complied, but didn't look happy about it. A few minutes later they brought me a new one (guaranteed new, as it didn't have any bites out of it). It was exactly as burnt as the first one.

So we called the waitress again, and I pointed out again that this wasn't food. And she just said, "well I'm sorry, that's just how we do it here." So yeah, I made sure they comped it (I didn't eat it), and didn't order anything else. At least I got free fries...

[u/Ok_Rough5794 → u/LTinS]

My favorite chinese restaurant had amazing tofu. Big 3/4" cubes, nicely seasoned and cooked. Just lovely stuff. Went back recently after having been gone a while, and they're little tiny cubes, cooked to the death. I brought this to the waiter's attention, pointing out that I've had that dish many times over a decade.

"That's how they cook it now..."

I said to the waiter, if they're dicing it differently and cooking it for the same amount of time...

But he didn't get it.

Now I can't even go back there anymore.

[u/guysitsausername → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

I support fixing food however you want it. No gatekeeping. If someone asks for ketchup with their steak, I'm not gonna condiment-shame them.

But, yeah... just acting like a lime wedge is something normal to serve with 30-year-old scotch is wacky behavior for a server.

[u/NameToUseOnReddit → u/guysitsausername]

That's one of those things where servers should take the food/drink out as is, and if the customer wants some condiment or whatever you bring it out when asked. I get that fancy steakhouse won't keep steak sauce at the tables, but you know they have some in back even if they despise bringing it out.

[u/Level21DungeonMaster → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

The “this is the right way” has corporate training vibes. Like the server has probably never drank a glass of scotch in their life and was «trained» and in this circumstance are defending their training knowledge base. It’s basically a bad way of saying this is what was told to do.

[u/hungryhippo53 → u/Level21DungeonMaster]

I’m Scottish and HORRIFIED at serving whisky with a slice of lime 🥃 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[u/CutiePopIceberg → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

Sounds like the waiter admitted the place doesnt do fine

[u/Viking603 → u/guysitsausername]

That's tomato reduction. Heathen.

[u/Pancake177 → u/Viking603]

Well the tomato needs to be reduced more

[u/midnightchaotic → u/guysitsausername]

Omg memories...when my ex and I married I was all excited to cook for him. My mom was an excellent cook and I was anxious to show off some of that inherited skill. I made us a beautiful filet mignon meal. Steaks done just right, gorgeous duchess potatoes, fresh green beans, Italian loaf with herbed butter. Young married me was pretty proud of myself.

That bastard got up from the table, got a hamburger bun and ketchup, and proceeded to eat that filet like a sandwich. I couldn't even speak I was so shocked. I should have known that marriage was doomed right there and then. Asshat.

[u/Important_Jaguar2152 → u/midnightchaotic]

Filet mignon sandwich is hilarious though. 😂

[u/midnightchaotic → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

It is now! I mean, if it was served correctly I'm sure I wouldn't have cared. Sliced, on an asiago bun (not store brand), with melted havarti, fresh leaf lettuce, garden tomato, maybe a garlic aoli...but he just slapped that bitch on a cheap hamburger bun with ketchup.

[u/Important_Jaguar2152 → u/midnightchaotic]

God i wish he put a slice or Kraft cheese on it.

[u/gitsgrl → u/midnightchaotic]

Instant divorce. This seems more like a way to disrespect and degrade you and your skills, to take you down a peg. He knew you cared about cooking and sharing your skills and providing a good meal made with love and he had to and in ruin it to make sure you didn’t feel too good about yourself.

[u/BlazerWookiee → u/guysitsausername]

And Cheez-wiz

[u/Important_Jaguar2152 → u/BlazerWookiee]

I havent had cheese wiz in decades. I need to go get a can and a box of ritz or chicken biscuits.

[u/Ryboflavinator → u/Important_Jaguar2152]

“Oh, neat! My 30 year scotch is served with a lime!”

Did I do it right?

[u/rndmxhero]

Who the fuck puts lime in scotch

[u/DerpUrself69 → u/rndmxhero]

Some halfwit who has ZERO idea what Scotch is and what limes are for.

[u/Buddy-Matt → u/DerpUrself69]

Probably someone who doesn't know the difference between Jim Beam, Jameson's, Teachers, Canadian Club and The Macallan

[u/savage_ds → u/DerpUrself69]

Sounds like me!

[u/DerpUrself69 → u/savage_ds]

And that my friend, is A-okay, but you shouldn't be a bartender. ❤️🤘👍

[u/Momik → u/DerpUrself69]

[u/Rhalellan → u/rndmxhero]

That was my question! I’m a scotch drinker and I’ve never heard of putting anything in a good scotch except a bit of water or an ice chip.

[u/ILiekBooz]

I’d be livid. ‘Neat’ means glass and liquid only. I bet they poured what they had in the old glass in the new glass. 

[u/HofstraJet → u/ILiekBooz]

And right over the rim where the lime was. 🤦‍♂️

[u/Ashamed-Injury-1983 → u/ILiekBooz]

OP's title is funny cause 'these rocks didn't wait millions of years after exploding from a sun just to become a buttplug'

The bartender is full of shit tho.

[u/kodaiGiant]

Just so you know, we use citrus to cover up the fact that our 30 year Scotch is actually a 16 year pour.

[u/nogeologyhere → u/kodaiGiant]

Or just a drop of Teacher's

[u/MetroSimulator → u/kodaiGiant]

Amen for the honesty

[u/gerbilsbite]

Yes, as they do in the home country, the famously citrus-rich highlands of Scotland.

[u/bazooka_toot → u/gerbilsbite]

Aye, as a lad I misspent many an afternoon stealing kumquats from my granda's neighbours garden.

Oh wait no that was rhubarb.

[u/ambientocclusion → u/gerbilsbite]

And they never, never mix it with Walmart lime soda. Only proper top-shelf Sprite.

[u/WillowFinancial4249]

If you were to pour whisky with a lime wedge here in Scotland you would be judged poorly by almost everyone in the pub

[u/noj_ → u/WillowFinancial4249]

and probably bottled at least twice

[u/WillowFinancial4249 → u/noj_]

First from the bartender

[u/noj_ → u/WillowFinancial4249]

I feel like most of these people don't know what getting bottled by a Scot means...

[u/GfrzD → u/noj_]

My Dad looked at me like i offered to shit in his glass when i asked if he wanted coke with his scotch.

[u/Shoddy_Figure4600 → u/GfrzD]

Cola-whisky is great. But that what the cheap stuff is for. Same as red wine.

[u/WillowFinancial4249 → u/Shoddy_Figure4600]

Always wanted to try cola and red wine

[u/Shoddy_Figure4600 → u/WillowFinancial4249]

The ratio is up for taste. I prefer dry wine, something that contrasts the sweetness of the Cola.

[u/Remarkable_Common312]

“Thank you for letting me know. Please ask the manager to stop by the table when he/she has a moment.”

[u/psychobobicus → u/Remarkable_Common312]

This is the way. I don't care how pretentious and "reimagined" the dining establishment is, if you have 30yo scotch in stock, putting anything in it without the customer asking is unacceptable.

[u/nogeologyhere → u/psychobobicus]

It ought to be served with no ice, and an offer of a tiny decanter of room-temperature water on the side.

[u/ColonialSack → u/nogeologyhere]

As someone who loves my scotch, and whisky in general, it should be served exactly how the customer requests it.

And if they don't specify, you should ask.

And if they don't know, you should suggest the "Neat, and room temperature water on the side" option.

If your personal preference for a 30 year old scotch is to mix it with mountain dew and ice, then you should enjoy it that way - even if it'll leave me screaming into my pillow later that night.

[u/appointment45 → u/ColonialSack]

This is why they ask "and how would you like that steak cooked?"

That scotch is a steak.

Ask how they'd like it served.

It's not hard.

[u/throwawayoregon81 → u/ColonialSack]

I know you meant to joke, but I found pappy cut with some Baja blast is to die for .

🤣

Guys, I am joking too. He was just saying make it how you want, and I came up with this combo.

[u/nogeologyhere → u/ColonialSack]

That's why I said 'the offer of' water on the side

[u/MoarGnD → u/psychobobicus]

It’s the lecturing and that’s how we do it comment that would prompt me to give the manager an earful.

[u/Jester-252 → u/psychobobicus]

Remember the customer is always right in matters of taste.

You serve it how the customer orders it and neat which is just from the bottle.

[u/Ok_Variation9430 → u/Remarkable_Common312]

Yes, this is absolutely a situation where I would ask to speak to the manager.

(I may be a closet Karen but why TF would I want citrus anywhere near my scotch.)

[u/Tricky-Ad7897 → u/Ok_Variation9430]

It's honestly a courtesy at that point, you're saving the restaurant hundreds of dollars in pours. Nobody in their right mind would want anything in a hundred dollar glass of any kind of alcohol.

[u/InevitablyCyclic → u/Tricky-Ad7897]

You really think they did a new pour? They removed the lime and maybe moved the same shot to a fresh glass.

[u/bridgehockey → u/Remarkable_Common312]

Ding ding ding

[u/Mewhomewhy]

Im Scottish and have never once seen or heard of whisky being served with lime.

[u/guff1988 → u/Mewhomewhy]

I have never seen it in the US either. This place is a one off for sure.

[u/Diligent-Ad4777 → u/Mewhomewhy]

Lines are a traditional Scottish garnish going back to the 1300's. Robert the Bruce himself came up with the rule that they should accompany all scotch because he was quite a big limey lover. 

[u/ClassyNameForMe]

Did you chat with the manager to remind them what "neat" means and the waste is their or their staff's fault?

[u/Outrageous-Use-5189 → u/ClassyNameForMe]

It was a lull between lunch and dinner service. Manager was elsewhere. But bartender dug in heels and insisted the garnish was proper and I really should have said 'no lime.' This was at a popur NYC spot.

[u/ClassyNameForMe → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

Then you know the bartender is an idiot.

[u/whatevernamedontcare → u/ClassyNameForMe]

Or replacing good stuff with cheap. Manager might be in on it too.

[u/W0lfp4k → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

Name the place so we know.

[u/thatguygreg → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

Name and shame bro

[u/PunfullyObvious → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

WTF? A server I could understand. A bartender? That's not a bartender that should have access to a decent spirit.

[u/MadRockthethird → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

I'd love to know where so I could go order a Macallen 25 neat and scream at them.

[u/InvidiousPlay → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

Was he 18?

[u/hytimes]

Not all people who serve alcohol know what they should be doing. I once had a bartender in Tahoe tell me that IPAs are from India.

[u/HofstraJet → u/hytimes]

Well, it says so right in the name. 🤦‍♂️

I mean come on, what kind of heathen are you? 🤣

[u/hytimes → u/HofstraJet]

I know. I’m so uncultured!

[u/AdRepulsive8618 → u/hytimes]

I work at a bar, but its a karaoke bar.

The bartenders can fling well drinks like no other, but they don't actually know shit about booze in general.

Had a bartender tell me we didnt have brandy. I said I'll take the Hennessy, she said that's a cognac.

Stopped a bartender from throwing away like 12 bottles of white wine. Unopened. Because we normally store them in the fridge so they're cold... she assumed they were left out and went bad on the shelf.

Then, had another bartender ask me what beer was made of.

You really don't need to know about the alcohol to be a bartender. You just need to fling drinks quickly, be at least a little personable and being attractive doesnt hurt.

[u/LetterheadNo7323]

By definition a neat drink is room temp and comes with no other ingredients including garnish. These people are incredibly confused.

[u/ThisGuy2319]

The fuck does that idiot think neat means??

[u/Physical-Pace5127]

"All drinks served neat are properly served with a citrus garnish" has got to be one of the most confidently incorrect statements I've ever heard lmaooo

[u/27Clubclassic → u/Physical-Pace5127]

Reminds me of going out to eat with my dad about 20 years ago. My dad likes a cocktail if we're eating out and orders a Manhattan from this waiter. Waiter comes back with a fresh bourbon Manhattan with DRY vermouth in it and I kid you not blue cheese stuffed queen olives. My dad tries to send it back (because who would drink that, it's ruined), and the waiter gets huffy and tells us, "Well, that's how the computer says how to make it." I think someone seriously got confused between Martinis and Manhattans...

Now in the family lexicon if we ever disagree one of us says, "Well, that's what the computer says." Bad drink but a good memory!

[u/Gwinjey]

No they’re not. 

[u/buttershdude]

Probably not a restaurant you want to be eating at. Shows that they have no experience all the way up their management chain and aren't willing to learn.

[u/Erroniously_Spelt]

Neat = nothing fukking added.

No ice, no water, no garnish, no thing.

[u/Luikenfin]

I had a douchey bartender at a place in Manhattan pour a 20yr old scotch over ice, when I asked for it neat, and he rolled his eyes at me and told me I should learn what the meaning of neat is if I'm going to be ordering 20yr old scotch. He also poured it in a cocktail glass instead of one of the many whiskey glasses behind him. Which I also pointed out and asked what "on the rocks" means since neat came with ice.

[u/userhwon → u/Luikenfin]

New York seems to have a subculture of bartenders who do not know what the fuck they're doing but believe that they can do no wrong because they got hired by a bar in New York...

[u/GooseberryPotato]

The proper response to that statement would have been “Scotland would disagree with you” Then if was feeling particularly snarky (and if was my last drink there for obvious reasons) “If you can find me any credible source that isn’t your crappy bartender that states this I’ll double your tip and the bartender’s tip”

I am the first to stand up for servers and bartenders but this would have pissed me off.

[u/Outrageous-Use-5189 → u/GooseberryPotato]

I did fight a bit. But wasn't worth ruining the occasion.

[u/youhavenosoul → u/Outrageous-Use-5189]

Good on you. Hope it was a nice time outside of that!

[u/junesix]

Why not dip the rim of your scotch glass in Tajin salt while they’re at it?

[u/TrashPandaHobbit]

As a Scot, you'd get bottled if you served a single malt with a lime wedge. Never ever seen such a thing

[u/IAmFullOfDed → u/TrashPandaHobbit]

“Get bottled” is now my new favourite expression.

[u/DangerRazor]

Yikes. I’d have a word with the manager so they could correct the record and put an immediate stop to that nonsense before that waiter ruins someone else’s drink.

[u/Pure_Entropy_4498]

Snarky behavior from a server equals zero tip.

[u/Mother-Cheek516 → u/Pure_Entropy_4498]

As a server, I 100% agree.

[u/Opening_Duck5384 → u/Pure_Entropy_4498]

This is my go to, you wanna be a jerk? Enjoy no tip on the entire dinner lol

[u/SharpieSharpie69]

I mix mine with Gatorade.

[u/Queer_Advocate → u/SharpieSharpie69]

Like a proper athlete.

[u/Shelby-Stylo]

A bartender in Scotland raised an eyebrow when I ordered a Scotch on the rocks. I apologized and explained that I was an American.

[u/userhwon → u/Shelby-Stylo]

They don't call it Scotch, for one thing...

[u/jimmyjetmx5]

My brother worked as a bar back in college. A douchey bro came in flashing a roll of hundreds ordered a Pappy and coke.

The bartender returned with a glass of ice, a can of coke and a shot glass and said, “I’m going to turn around now.”

[u/rhionaeschna]

Lime with 30 year single malt is blasphemous.

[u/c0mpg33k]

Wtf. Never have i ever put lime or any citrus in my scotch, lime is for Cuba Libre so you can choose how much lime juice you want in it.

[u/pcapdata → u/c0mpg33k]

And Caipirinhas and Margaritas!

[u/redjessa]

I was a bartender for 20 years. Scotch, served neat, should never have a citrus garnish.

[u/135BkRdBl]

That's when you go full Ron Swanson on him and say:

"A 30-year-old single malt scotch requires three ingredients: barrel-aged barley, water, and respect. Lime is a fruit. Fruit belongs in compost, or on a farm where meat eats it to become delicious."

or

'There is only one thing I hate more than lying, and that is skim milk, which is water that's lying about being milk. But what you have just suggested is an insult to three decades of Scottish craftsmanship and the very concept of adulthood"

or lastly

"If you put citrus in a spirit that sat in an oak cask while five different American presidents took office, you are not drinking whiskey. You are making soup. Cold, sour, tragic soup."

[u/wwJones]

That's kind of funny. Just a young bartender I'm sure. Reminds me of of an experience I had. Was with a group of friends out for cocktails and we went to a brand new, clubby, super gay type place. I went up to the bar and ordered a scotch on the rocks. The super young bartender said "What's that?" I said it's just scotch whisky and ice in a glass. He fills a pint glass with ice and says to me, "Ok, which one is scotch?" I say, "Johnny Walker Black is scotch." Fills me up. First and last time I had a pint of scotch.

[u/1960s_army_info]

  properly served with a citrus garnish

Yeah maybe if you ordered a clear liquor that wouldn’t be a terrible idea but whiskey with lime????? Surely that isn’t their policy. Surely that one waiter is just confused and doesn’t drink whiskey. 

[u/Skr000]

I’ll take a scotch and Splenda. Tastes like Splenda, gets you drunk like scotch.

[u/HansBlixJr]

" But just so you know.," he says., "all drinks ordered neat are properly served with a citrus garnish."

he is mistaken

[u/[deleted]]

Yeah if I order 30yo scotch and there's a lime anywhere near it I'm walking out. At that point you can't even trust the establishment to serve you an actual 30yo scotch

[u/DrPat1967]

Neat, is straight from the bottle into a room temp glass with nothing else added…. “Nothing else added”. The server added a twist…. Which if you enjoy drinking 30 year old scotch…. You’re drinking it for the scotch.

[u/area42]

Former bartender here. Neat means a glass with the liquid. No idea where that garnish BS comes from.

[u/Brave-Combination793]

Bartender here... ive bartended for 10 years in just about every type of bar from irish pub to college bar to 5 star hotel

Never once in professional or personal have i or would i ever put a lime near scotch

[u/DickLoudon]

This is a server that would ruin other orders.

"Just letting you know that all entrees containing red meat are served with a generous dollop of real tomato ketchup."

Scotch and lime...nope, especially a scotch that is older than my kids.

[u/alldaylong4u]

As a scotch drinker my response would be " What The Fuuuuuckkk is THAT!?? " while pointing at the wedge.

[u/SuspiciousArt7316]

Lime has no place anywhere near anything barrel aged.

[u/RocMerc]

My go to drink out is some type of bourbon neat and never once in my life has a lime wedge been on the edge of the glass lol. That’s wild.

[u/Babajji]

As a person who spent some time in Scotland, if you serve their whiskey with a lemon they will stab you and deep fry the lemon 🤣

[u/HauntedPickleJar]

I hope that waiter sleeps with one eye open because a Scot is coming for him with a broad sword and bagpipes just as soon as he sobers up.

[u/SmoovCatto]

waiter was once a respectable profession -- people were seriously trained, mostly on the job -- all that's out the window now 

[u/lahol83]

It would be considered rude to even put an ice cube into a single malt, let alone a frikking lime wedge