Whats the deal with this stupid rule in Canberra regarding ice in spirits?

So I find this little Scotish club, you know the type crammed with pokies and a decent little bistro. So I goto the bar and order a Guiness which they have on tap and whilst the barmaid is pouring it I browse the extensive Scotch list hanging above the bar and decide to treat myself to a 21 year old Glenfidich.

So the barmaid hands me my drinks (the guiness even comes in a proper pint glass) and I return happy as Larry to my wife whos grown attached to one of the pokies.
I return to the bar some time later and decide Ive got a taste for the Scotch and order another, to which the bar manager serves me this time, he pours my drink and heads for the ice bucket, I proceed to tell this guy that I dont want ice in my drink which he replys by telling me I have to due to the drinking laws in Canberra . He then explains to me its to discourage people from 'skulling' there drinks. Now I would accept this if I had ordered a Vodka and coke but no this is a $13 a shot single malt 21yr old scotch.

Whats the bloody difference, I could have knocked that drink back in one with or without ice??? So I return back to the OH and fish the 2 large cubes out as fast as possible but by then the ice had already tainted the drink

Is this pathetic rule Australia wide?

Ive never heard of it before and for that price, Id be up in arms. Ive said no to ice in my drink before and had no problem. Next time, pick the youngest and dopiest looking memeber of bars staff and state what you want.

Ridiculous considering you can pop to the bottlo and buy a gallon of the stuff and drink it from a bucket......

Funny you should say this the first round (without ice) was from the exact same person you just descibed

It's because aussies cant handle their piss so they like to help them out by watering it down

should of just told him to forget it then and done without his loss

Utter disgrace. Maybe you should tell them to hold the ice as it causes you to projectile vomit......

Never had that experience in QLD or NSW. You say no ice and you get no ice. I don't drink scotch but never had a problem with vodka and I hate ice in any drink

Never had that in SA or WA, either. And like Moneypen, I don't like ice in my drinks.

I have had some "discussions" with bar staff who insist on putting ice cubes in cider. Also I've found several places where they aren't allowed to sell doubles of spirits "because they lead to alcoholism" (I laughed out loud at the bloke who told me that and who had such a serious look on his face that he obviuously believed it!). However they are quite happy to sell you two singles and then watch as you pour them into one glass

I did also go to a pub near Iver (UK) the other week which wouldn't sell me a pint of Leffe, even though thy had it on tap. The girl behind the bar said it was a poxy rule and she would give me two halves that I could pour into the same glass, but she wasn't allowed to do that for me!

Theres some very strange rules out there at present.

Never heard of this ice one before though.

Just checked with my Daughter who has done the Victorian responsible liquor serving bar course, and she says that rule doesnt exist in Victoria.

Can you imagine trying to put Ice in those shots glasses that are all the rave here in Vic.

It sounds like it could be a rule specific to the Venue that you were at. I'm fairly confident that a Vic hospitality licence is valid in the ACT.

It probably was:......

I'm stunned, i just can't believe that about the ice cubes, what is going on

Been here a very long time and have never experienced this. I think my late OH would have killed anyone who put ice in his whiskey!