Whiskey Rickey

New and Improved Bartenders' Manual by Harry Johnson (1900, p.173) — Harry Johnson 1900

1. Put 1 or 2 pieces of ice into a medium size fizz glass.
2. Squeeze in the juice of 1 good-sized lime or 2 small ones.
3. Add 1 wine-glass of rye whiskey.
4. Fill up the glass with club soda, selters, or vichy, and serve with a spoon.

Ice: Ice pieces

Nose

Rye and lime come up cleanly without any sweetening or garnish interference.

Palate

This is dry, brisk, and much leaner than the sour and daisy branches, showing the Rickey as a distinct highball logic rather than a minor sour variant.

Finish

The finish is sharp, sparkling, and refreshing.

Summary

A spare whiskey Rickey showing the highball branch at its most direct.

The Rickey line is historically important because it marks a real shift toward drier, longer drinks. Johnson's version shows that transition clearly in a fully codified turn-of-the-century form.

The drink should stay dry and brisk. Adding sweetener would blur the whole point of the Rickey branch.

The Cocktail Book a Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen (1901, p.63)

1. Make the same as Gin Rickey, using whiskey in place of gin.

Garnish: Pressed lime shell in glass.

Ice: One lump

This keeps the whiskey branch of the early rickey field explicit in the same chapter as the gin version.

The structure is inherited whole from the gin rickey; only the base spirit changes.

Daly's Bartenders' Encyclopedia by Tim Daly (1903, p.100)

1. Put the ice, squeeze the juice of one lime into the glass, and add the whiskey.
2. Fill with plain soda or vichy and serve with a spoon.

Ice: Lump ice

Daly explicitly compares it to the gin Rickey and notes that many find it superior.

Applegreen's Bar Book by John Applegreen (1904, p.27) — Applegreen 1904

1. Prepare as for the Tom-gin Rickey, substituting whiskey for Tom gin.
2. Serve filled with seltzer.

Ice: 1 lump

Nose

Lime and whiskey rise immediately.

Palate

This matters because it shows the Rickey family carrying over cleanly into whiskey service without adding sweetness or ornament.

Finish

The finish is dry, tart, and brisk.

Summary

A whiskey branch of the stripped-down Rickey family.

Louis' Mixed Drinks with Hints for the Care & Serving of Wines by Louis Muckensturm (1906, p.91)

1. Put the whiskey and lime juice into a star-glass with a good-sized piece of ice and half of the lime, fill with soda, stir only when ready to serve, and serve.

Ice: Ice

The Reminder by Jacob A. Didier (1909, p.89) — Didier 1909

1. Make in the same manner as the Gin Rickey, using whiskey in place of gin.
2. Serve filled with syphon seltzer or soda.

Garnish: Lime rind

Ice: 1 square piece

This confirms that the Rickey line remains cleanly transferable across base spirits while staying dry and unsweetened.

Jack's Manual by J. A. Grohusko (1910, p.89)

1. Put the ice, lime juice, squeezed limes, and Scotch whisky in the glass.
2. Fill with fizz water, stir with a spoon, and serve.

Garnish: Spent lime halves

Ice: 1 piece ice

Bartenders' Guide: How to Mix Drinks by Wehman Bros. (1912, p.60)

1. Add the ice, lime juice, and whiskey to the glass, fill with Vichy or seltzer, and serve.

Ice: Ice