Offering a single malt to guest....

[LeoDLion]

If I have a guest who requests a single malt scotch whisky, I will serve it without ice or water. If said guest specifically states that he wants ice in the Lagavulin 16, I will kill him on the spot. I'm actually in prison right now typing this as we speak.

Is your cellmate Richard Paterson?

So google says Richard Paterson is a well respected master blender. Is he incline to exterminate anybody taking ice with his dram?

[Deactivated Member]

Leo, read Wendy's report on the Victoria Whisky Festival, either in the Seattle/Victoria page in my website, or in Malt Maniacs #105 (I think). Mr Paterson is an enthusiastic advocate for Whyte & MacKay, and his presentations are very entertaining. He is an ardent opponent of handwarming, and it is a standard joke of his that he will kill anyone he sees cupping his glass. As it happens, I don't think it's one of his funnier lines, and I've been tweaking him rather obsessively lately. I'm trying to stop, honest!

[Les Paul]

If I have a guest who requests a single malt scotch whisky, I will serve it without ice or water. If said guest specifically states that he wants ice in the Lagavulin 16, I will kill him on the spot. I'm actually in prison right now typing this as we speak.

Is your cellmate Richard Paterson?

[Ardbeggar]

My roommate asked one time why I don't just put the scotch in the freezer with the other liquors...

[K-Mile]

My roommate asked one time why I don't just put the scotch in the freezer with the other liquors...

While there might be some advantage to storing it cool, dark, and dry, the freezer might be overdoing it

[LeoDLion]

If I have a guest who requests a single malt scotch whisky, I will serve it without ice or water. If said guest specifically states that he wants ice in the Lagavulin 16, I will kill him on the spot. I'm actually in prison right now typing this as we speak.

Is your cellmate Richard Paterson?

If you think about it, when a guest requests for a single malt whisky, one can assume that he/she knows smw, right? Which means he/she will probably notwant ice in the dram.

If the guest request for ice, why dont you just pour him/her a dram of rotgut or some nasty stuff. If there is a complain, say you are drinking from the same bottle and the ice must have corrupted the drink.!

[Ardbeggar]

Hey, what do you have against The Glenlivet 12? It may be available everywhere, but it's still good stuff.

[K-Mile]

Great point LSD, and nice stories to back it up.

I think I would not let them get that far Up until now, everyone who asked me for a dram had the respect to let me pour them one. If they know I like whisky, and have the drinking and collecting as a hobby, they ask me instead of grabbing the bottle.

If someone gets a tumbler, how can they know a standard expression from an excelent dram?

And as a guest myself, I would ask for it neat in a brandy or wine glass instead of a tumbler, but I wouldn't insist if the host enjoys his whisky differently and offers me the same.

[Reggaeblues]

LSD: "he chugged the dalmore, thanked me, and left. let's just say that the next time he came in, all he got was cutty sark"

You're a very generous man! I'd have given him water...if i'd even let him in!

[Muskrat Portage]

Just recently had some friends over, primarily beer drinkers but one wanted to try some of my "good scotch". I poured a light taster for him and talked him through the nosing and the viewing of the colour and legs. Then as I was saying "now take a sip..." he hammered it back.



We tried it three more times with different SMs, same reaction. Even when I gently said, "Look you clown, you're supposed to sample and enjoy it in yer mouth!" To no avail, he loved the nose just couldn't stand it in his mouth too long! Drinking for effect. (sigh!)

Took him back upstairs and fed him more beer. My only consolidation, he had a wicked headache the next morning!


Muskrat

[Ardbeggar]

I have no problems offering good whiskey on ice to a guest so long as they appreciate it. And who am I to say how they should appreciate it?

For me personally, when I try a new scotch, I'll try it neat so I can get a complete feel for the drink. But often times, I prefer it on ice, depending on my mood and what I'm eating.

Then again, I also like fried lobster and I dip my biscuits in my mashed potatoes.

[K-Mile]

I have no problems offering good whiskey on ice to a guest so long as they appreciate it. And who am I to say how they should appreciate it?

For me personally, when I try a new scotch, I'll try it neat so I can get a complete feel for the drink. But often times, I prefer it on ice, depending on my mood and what I'm eating.

Then again, I also like fried lobster and I dip my biscuits in my mashed potatoes.

[Ardbeggar]

I'm wondering if the crazy eyes are for the whiskey on ice or for the fried lobster and biscuits dipped in mashed potatoes...

[K-Mile]

I'm wondering if the crazy eyes are for the whiskey on ice or for the fried lobster and biscuits dipped in mashed potatoes...

Don't be silly.. I'm talking about the only strange statement in your post.

The whisky on ice ofcourse!



just kidding, there's one thing more weird than whisky on ice, and that's buscuits dipped in mashed potatoes...

[Ardbeggar]

Just the other night, I had a Macallan 18 on ice at the local bar...

*ducks*

But if I'm at someone's house and they offer me something nice, I won't request ice. No sense in unduly stirring up bad blood...

[K-Mile]

Just the other night, I had a Macallan 18 on ice at the local bar...

*ducks*

But if I'm at someone's house and they offer me something nice, I won't request ice. No sense in unduly stirring up bad blood...

That's perfectly fine as long it's the Fine Oak

[hilliamash]

This is simply a notion of hospitality. While many would argue that there is only ONE way to enjoy a whisky, it's a highly arguable choice. If one of my guests wishes to add a bit of water or ice to better enjoy his/her whisky, I'll certainly never stand in their way. Believe it or not, some folks actually like higher ended whiskies with a touch of water or ice....shocking that the proletariat may have their own ideas, isn't it?

[K-Mile]

This is simply a notion of hospitality. While many would argue that there is only ONE way to enjoy a whisky, it's a highly arguable choice. If one of my guests wishes to add a bit of water or ice to better enjoy his/her whisky, I'll certainly never stand in their way. Believe it or not, some folks actually like higher ended whiskies with a touch of water or ice....shocking that the proletariat may have their own ideas, isn't it?

If I have guests over that want to try a Scotch, I almost always serve it neat (in a snifter, no ice and water), and when they're halfway I add a tiny splash of water. It's just that I think it really changes the character of the dram, and it's fun to let them taste the difference and make up their minds.

I always drink mine neat...

[Les Paul]

Just the other night, I had a Macallan 18 on ice at the local bar...

This is a blatant, wanton disregard for man law. You should be exposed before your peers.

[Muskrat Portage]

Just the other night, I had a Macallan 18 on ice at the local bar...

This is a blatant, wanton disregard for man law. You should be exposed before your peers.

...and I'll bet he reads the manual first ,before he puts anything together too!

If you are offering whisky to anyone, have a bottle of cheap blend, say JW close to your SM whisky selection. If they say "I'll have a scotch ... with coke and ice", unerring slip your hand past the SMs and grab the JW.

One must have standards you know!

Muskrat

[les taylor]

MP I have a bottle of Bell's for that very reason.

[Muskrat Portage]

MP I have a bottle of Bell's for that very reason.

You are a man of infinite wit and taste.

M.P.

[K-Mile]

I guess I just found a reason to keep that bottle of Jim Beam given to me a couple of years ago

I'd just have to keep it out of sight a little, for you never know when you get a visit from a serious malt lover...

[Deactivated Member]

LSD: "he chugged the dalmore, thanked me, and left. let's just say that the next time he came in, all he got was cutty sark"

You're a very generous man! I'd have given him water...if i'd even let him in!

Agreed - if that's how someone behaved in my house they'd need to have some pretty special redeeming features to getback across the threshhold.

[Dscotland]

Nowt wrong with ice , better to drink whisky with ice than drink pimms or gin

[Dscotland]

come on whats worse in whisky, iron bru, coke , lemonde , poor quality water or scottish ice ?

[K-Mile]

come on whats worse in whisky, iron bru, coke , lemonde , poor quality water or scottish ice ?

All of the above..

[Reggaeblues]

There's a great piece of whisky wisdom from JM's whisky bible re: a CS Caol Ila.

On the bottle it recommends adding "two parts water "to one part Caol Ila. Funnily enough , it says the same on the box of my Laga 12...and also on the Laphroaig CS, if i remember rightly. must be an Islay anomaly.

Anyway, our jim's response goes something like: " For best results add one part Caol ila to one part Caol ila, and if in doubt, add another part Caol ila. then warm in the hand. If you need water, add it to some lemon squash before going to bed."

[K-Mile]

There's a great piece of whisky wisdom from JM's whisky bible re: a CS Caol Ila.

On the bottle it recommends adding "two parts water "to one part Caol Ila. Funnily enough , it says the same on the box of my Laga 12...and also on the Laphroaig CS, if i remember rightly. must be an Islay anomaly.

Anyway, our jim's response goes something like: " For best results add one part Caol ila to one part Caol ila, and if in doubt, add another part Caol ila. then warm in the hand. If you need water, add it to some lemon squash before going to bed."

I'm not sure where I read it; could be on a website or on the bottle: "[A]nd under no circumstances should you add ice[!]"

now that's a distillery I appreciate!

Lots of distilleries advocate diluting to at least 50/50... Some (like The Macallan) even advice to add some ice together with water as a tasting suggestion

[mattbuty]

I never offer my single malts to guests. That way I never have to deal with this embarrasing problem

[Deactivated Member]

Anyway, our jim [murray]'s response goes something like: " For best results add one part Caol ila to one part Caol ila, and if in doubt, add another part Caol ila. then warm in the hand. If you need water, add it to some lemon squash before going to bed."

Witty, but a bit misleading. There is nothing wrong with a bit of water in some whiskies to break down the alcohol chains to release aromas and flavours. Some whiskies can't take water at all, but most will benefit. And it's not about the alcoholic strength, it is the act of adding water that causes the chemical reaction that releases flavour.

I was of the pure, neat, no water persuasion until I was persuaded by Ian Millar - Global Brand Ambassador at Glenfiddich - that it was OK to add water. He said to tell any sceptics that Ian said it's OK to add water - so

Ian said it's OK to add water

and he went on to demonstrate his point very eloquently with some superb old Glenfiddichs.

[Elagabalus]

If you offer a guest a SMS or a high end blend and they request it with ice it means they obviously don't really understand how precious this nectar is. If they take it neat or with a few drops of water, it means they know what they are doing and how to appreciate their drink. Last weekend my sister's bf decided to have some caviar that my father's girlfriend was serving to her guests. He took such a huge scoop that the taste was overpowering and he took this to mean that his palate simply disagreed with the caviar. He had no experience with caviar at all. The caviar was wasted on him.

If a guest takes the SMS you offer him on ice it means he doesn't have much experience with quality SMS and therefore will dilute it and reduce the complexity. One day such an individual might come around and realise that SMS shouldn't be diluted with ice. Your guest has to gain experience sampling various SMSs and higher end blends on his own dollar, not yours. You or I, are not throwing our own personal Whisky Live where "friendship" is payment for an entrance ticket.

Ask your guest what they would like to drink or offer them a SMS. If they select ice go to your bar, pour a cheap blend into a tumbler fill it with ice and give it to your guest. If they notice it isn't a SMS, which I find highly unlikely, merely tell them that if they know enough about quality scotch to tell the difference between a cheap blend and a quality scotch, that they should also know you never pollute SMS will ice.

If you are a multimillionaire then perhaps it doesn't matter how your guests take their scotch. I however am not, and would never condone such sacriledge.

[K-Mile]

If you offer a guest a SMS or a high end blend and they request it with ice it means they obviously don't really understand how precious this nectar is. If they take it neat or with a few drops of water, it means they know what they are doing and how to appreciate their drink. Last weekend my sister's bf decided to have some caviar that my father's girlfriend was serving to her guests. He took such a huge scoop that the taste was overpowering and he took this to mean that his palate simply disagreed with the caviar. He had no experience with caviar at all. The caviar was wasted on him.

If a guest takes the SMS you offer him on ice it means he doesn't have much experience with quality SMS and therefore will dilute it and reduce the complexity. One day such an individual might come around and realise that SMS shouldn't be diluted with ice. Your guest has to gain experience sampling various SMSs and higher end blends on his own dollar, not yours. You or I, are not throwing our own personal Whisky Live where "friendship" is payment for an entrance ticket.

Ask your guest what they would like to drink or offer them a SMS. If they select ice go to your bar, pour a cheap blend into a tumbler fill it with ice and give it to your guest. If they notice it isn't a SMS, which I find highly unlikely, merely tell them that if they know enough about quality scotch to tell the difference between a cheap blend and a quality scotch, that they should also know you never pollute SMS will ice.

If you are a multimillionaire then perhaps it doesn't matter how your guests take their scotch. I however am not, and would never condone such sacriledge.

You could also use your SMS to educate them and get another soul to the proper appreciation side

I agree with your statement, however I would not just serve them a JWR just because 'they're ignorant', that's not helping either. If they want to try SMS, I tell them it's best to try it neat first, then with a few drop of water. I get out a few Glencairns, two or three bottles (Islay, Highland..) and get them to nose and taste a few wee drams. Most really enjoy the experience, thank me, and tell me they did not know that this is the proper way to drink SMS.

[hiccy]

Agreed K-Mile, faced with the situation I refuse to allow friends to put anything other than water into my malts and explain to them why I drink whisky the way I do. Everyone who has put me in the position has been willing to experiment and enjoyed the experience. I think they get a little surprised when I refuse to give them a drink if they're going to "spoil it" though!

[mattbuty]

I would not give my guests the option.

When the malts come out, so do the nosing glasses and a small jug of water. Nothing else will be offered, and my friends know me well enough to appreciate that I would not serve them up any old rubbish, and they seem to enjoy the ritual.

As a result, my friends are fast becoming malt whisky lovers too, and when I visit them I am pleased to see that the bottles of Teachers and bells are now replaced with Scapa and Glenlivet. No Coke, or ice, or Ginger, just the flavours that were intended, first neat, then with a drop of water.

The whole thing about Single malts is that you can have a great time discussing the same liquid and learning about your friends, who they are and where they are coming from. It's often astonishing to hear some of the descriptions attributed, and for the record, I think that women have a great capacity for identifying the subtleties and expressing them in words.

Through this simple approach, I have found respect for the spirit and for the people who drink it.

Thank God for Whisky!!!!