Is it my Australian accent or the generic term I use when asking for something that confuses other users of the English language?

On a Continental Airlines flight, the first couple of times I’d ask for a scotch and coke, I would be met with dismay and a shocked look as though I was speaking another language.

Finally, I discovered, through trial and error, that I needed to ask for a ‘Dewers and Coke’. Dewers being the name of the Scotch Whiskey they served on board. Oh, and my travelling companion… he needed to ask for a ‘Skyy and Pomegranate’.

In the end, our wonderful flight attendant, took great delight in our attempts to pronounce ‘Dewers’ in an American accent, to the point that she would say “say it again and this one is free!”… Of course we played along  and needless to say… not many drinks were paid for after the first couple of rounds!