tossing down straight shots of whiskey

[diamondcutter]

“I hate the bloody stuff,” my father used to say, tossing down straight shots of whiskey. “Ah...” Once he had conquered the agony of getting it down, he glowed with the pleasure of it

Source: Paragraph Practice, 5th edition 1984, Kathleen E. Sullivan

Does the word “straight” mean “not mixed with water or anything else” and modify the noun “whiskey”? If so, why isn’t it put just before “whiskey”?

 

[jutfrank]

Yes, it means 'not mixed'. The modifier straight comes directly before the noun phrase that it modifies: shots of whisky.

 

[SoothingDave]

"Straight" can refer to the contents of the whiskey, or the manner of drinking it. Here it is about how it is drunk.

"Straight whiskey" is actually a legal definition in the US. It refers to whiskey that is all whiskey. Contrast with a "blended whiskey," which must contain at least 20% straight whiskey, but can also contain neutral grain spirits, and possibly flavors and colors.

Which means that one could drink straight whiskey on-the-rocks (with ice) or blended whiskey straight.

 

[Tarheel]

I'm not much of a drinker, but if somebody drinks liquor "straight" it's usually with nothing added to it -- no water, no soda, nothing but whiskey (in this case).

 

[probus]

I believe in this context "straight" is AmE and the BrE equivalent is "neat", but my knowledge may be out of date.

 

[jutfrank]

the BrE equivalent is "neat", but my knowledge may be out of date.

Right. And we don't have 'shots' of whiskey, either! Whiskey's for sipping.

 

[probus]

As a footnote, in Indian English a shot is a peg.

 

[Rover_KE]

As another footnote, in the UK we're more likely to be drinking whisky (without the e, as that's Scotch. Whiskeys with an e are made elsewhere in the world).