Offering a single malt to guest....

[Cam]

At one time I would balk at adding ice or mix to a whisky when requested but now I allow my guest to have the drink how they like it. Though now I do have a less expensive blend to pour for them. If asked about other SM's I will give a short disertation on the finer points and then ask if they would like to try the whisky as it is meant to be.

Cam

[TheLaddie]

Put it this way. I worked as a chef in my holidays from medical school. If I cook a meal for guests no-one is going to dare to ask me for ketchup on it...

...a chef...in my holidays from medical school...You're scaring me, I saw the "Hannibal Lecter" character in "Silence of the Lambs"
M.P.

Luckily you have the North Atlantic to protect you...

"I ate his cirrhotic liver with some tatties and neaps and a nice Caol Ila"

[thehoj]

If a guest asked for something in his whisky, I'd use a blend rather than a SMW. I'd try and convert them at some stage in the evening though :wink:

I picked up a bottle of Chivas, so if they want ice (and I have ice) that's what they'll get..

[killerwhale]

I don't think you should correct a guest, unless they are drinking copious amounts of your malt, then it's time to replace it with something else (like that bottle of Johnnie Walker Red label you got as a gift because they heard you "like scotch").

hehehe.... I agree

perhaps before seving, one could have a quick chat about a recent purchase and follow it up with most peoples preference to have SM neat to enjoy more flavour.... then ask what they would like and how they want it served

[Steve Rush]

I will always get them first to try without any ice or water and then add the H2O in whatever guise after their first couple of sips. If anything just to demonstrate to them that just by adding a drop of water that it can make a big difference to the dram and indeed depending on which particular whisky add a whole new dimention to it.

[Deactivated Member]

It's been said before, but my view of the role of the host is to make the guest feel as comfortable and as welcome as possible. This means allowing them to have their drinks as they wish, without complaint, pressure or criticism. If you don't wish your guest to drink your expensive whisky, and in whatever way they please, then don't have it on display. And if a guest's behaviour offends you, then don't invite them back.

[Deactivated Member]

You are of course correct, Nick, but the urge to educate and share our passion is hard to shake. One must pick one's spots, and try to gauge who might be receptive. No point trying to teach anything to someone who isn't interested in learning.

"Are you interested in whisky? I take it neat myself--I find that the best way to experience the full flavor. Would you like to try it?"

And of course you can always make ice cubes that are too big to fit down your Glencairns....

[Deactivated Member]

It's been said before, but my view of the role of the host is to make the guest feel as comfortable and as welcome as possible.

As the old saying goes, "You can choose your friends....." carefully and with whisky in mind

[Iain]

C wrote "As the old saying goes, "You can choose your friends....." carefully and with whisky in mind "

Does that mean I have to discard the nice German chap I met, who drinks sm Scotch and Fanta

I met a nice French girl once, who considered Scotch and fresh orange juice to be "formidable". But she discarded me for some reason

[kljostad]

Well, I have never had any of my friends ask for Ice, So I am not sure what I would do. Probably roll my eyes and come up with some sarcastic comment.

But there are two people that never get any offer for whisky when they are around:
1) My friend that mixes Lagavullin with Coke at home.
2) My dad, that keeps his one bottle of whisky in the freezer.

[Muskrat Portage]

Forummers:
Here's a link from Sunmedia that sets out how whisky should be sampled. Show it to your guests who wish to abuse whisky with mix and/or ice:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Features/20 ... 7-sun.html
Words of wisdom from Ian Miller: "The best way to research Scotch is at night, with a few friends and without any rules."

Muskrat

[titus]

I would of offered the dumb bastard ice tea instead.

[Elagabalus]

If they are not used to drinking single malt it would be unkind to force them to drink it a specific way. The flavours of a neat single malt to the "newbie" might be too overpowering.

However if they are an avid single malt drinker and you offer them a Lagavulin 16 and they then add ice, well they deserve a slap in the face.

[Elagabalus]

You are of course correct, Nick, but the urge to educate and share our passion is hard to shake. One must pick one's spots, and try to gauge who might be receptive. No point trying to teach anything to someone who isn't interested in learning.

"Are you interested in whisky? I take it neat myself--I find that the best way to experience the full flavor. Would you like to try it?"

And of course you can always make ice cubes that are too big to fit down your Glencairns....

LOL Mr T you are quite the witty humourist you know. lol

[Elagabalus]

I would of offered the dumb bastard ice tea instead.

Oh thank God you have finally arrived titus! Finally someone who should be able to take all the attention away from me. Keep up the pleasantries!

[shoganai]

There was one jackass who pounded it like a shot though. He has not tried any of the single malts since.

Uggh...that just brough back a painful memory. I was a year or two out of college and I was out to dinner with some people at a BYOB. At the time I was just starting to discover various single malts, although I wasn't yet "into" schotch. One guy brought a bottle of Johnny Black and some shot glasses. He asked who would be interested in a scotch, and of course I jumped on the chance. So he poured several shots and passed them out. I'm thinking to myself "wow it seems weird to be doing shots of scotch, but it's only Johnny Walker so whatever". So everyone raised their glasses, said "cheers", and I slammed the whole thing back in one shot. Everyone else took a sip.

Yes, I felt like a jackass.

[Di Blasi]

The first jackass of that night though was the guy that poured it into a whisky glass! You were just doing the polite thing you thought was expected shoganai!

[Elagabalus]

I will suggest they try it neat, if it is not to their liking I will allow a small bit of ice.

I'd never offer my high end stuff to someone who had never had scotch before. I get a lot of converts because I will start them with a Balvenie 12 DW. (I get them hooked and then they can't go back )

If they like the DoubleWood then we can progress to a more complex scotch.

This is a good idea.

[fergusa]

I had a friend who, in the absence of a blend to offer, had to give a guest Highland Park 12 with COKE

I told him he was a fool and should have made the guest drink the HP neat and then offer the coke after to allow the mixing only in his stomach!

[pkt77242]

I let my guests take their malt however they want but I usually control what malt they take. I always ask my friend what they want first and how they want it. If they respond whisky on the rocks or with coke etc. and they usually just have whatever I have so I know to grab a less expensive malt (say Glenlivet 12, glennfiddich 12, Dalmore 12 basically anything less expensive) of course as soon as they leave or go to bed I pour myself a glass of whatever I want. This way they don't feel like I pushed them one way or the other and I don't feel like I just wasted a some the more expensive malts so everyone is happy.

[thehoj]

UGH!!...
It happened again... So I did the polite thing.. :shock:

Another friend is over and we're just sitting around visiting, I really wasn't in the mood for drinking anything that night, but my buddy says "Hey, can I try that really smoky scotch that you were drinking the other night?"
So he's either talking about my Ardbeg or Laphroaig..

Let's see, Ardbeg=$60, Laphroaig=$45....... Laphroaig it is :P (man I'm a cheap bastard).
So I break it out, hear the beautiful squeak of the cork, and he says "can I grab some ice?"

:evil: :evil:

I don't know why it made me so mad!
Anyways, I got him some ice like the nice host that I am.

[Ann-Helen]

Well if you really want him to drink it without ice then just say I haven`t got any.

[kljostad]

Well if you really want him to drink it without ice then just say I haven`t got any.

Good point, Ann-Helen! Too bad you can't deploy the same tactic when it comes to water...

[Deactivated Member]

"Actually, we don't have any whisky."

[TheLaddie]

"Actually, we don't have any whisky."

"This? In my hand? It's, errrrr, lemon tea. Sorry it's my last bag..."

[CelticHorns]

If my guest wants a single malt with ice I will explain to my guest why he should not drink that way and if he still wants ice then I will offer him a blend ( I always have a bottle for cooking). If he refuses the blend he will drink water cause their is not a chance in hell that he will taste my single malt with ice. Over my dead body.

Wisely everybody has accepted, so far, to drink their single malt without ice.

Wayne

[les taylor]

It has been said before but on different thread. That I have committed the mortal sin and enjoy it. Of putting 1 ice cube in a glass of Aberlour Abunadh.

Some will think this is so terrible. Other's might think I can live with that. Sometimes their is Grey in between Black and white.

[Deactivated Member]

No one would much mind if you put a greyish ice cube in a glass of Black & White.

[Rankles]

My girlfriend wanted to try my Highland Park/Balvenie 12 with coke bless her. I mean she wants to like it because she's interested in it but just can't take it strong. I've given her it with water, ice everything but she can't get used to it.

Aww.

[petecaps]

IF I know they are giong to put it over ice, they don't get my good stuff. Very simple.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

I have no objection someone comming over and drinking their whisky with ice...

Actually we'll have friends over this week-end from down the country and I know this guys likes his whisky but he also likes his ice in his whisky and yes he can tell the difference in different malts. So I'm certianly not going to preach.

[peat-chaser]

Hi Petecaps, I perfectly agree with you, if somebody get´s a dram of my good stuff, I won´t give him anything besides it except some water.
But usually my guests are malt-lovers like me and they don´t ask for any weird additional liquids.

[Deactivated Member]

I don't have ice, so the question wouldn't arise. But if I had ice, then of course my guests would be able to have ice in their whisky, if they wanted. No quibbles. I aim to entertain my guests, not educate them or impress them with my erudition. But at the same time I do try to gauge in advance whether my guests appreciate fine whisky or not. If they do, then they will have access to the good stuff. If they don't then they will get something that isn't going down too quickly. There is no point in pouring scarce good stuff for people who would be just as happy with something else.

[les taylor]

I don't have ice, so the question wouldn't arise.

Nick you need to get a new fridge. You've got to have ice in your Gin & Tonic.

[Deactivated Member]

I don't have ice, so the question wouldn't arise.

Nick you need to get a new fridge. You've got to have ice in your Gin & Tonic.

I drink whisky, wine, water, tea and coffee at home. I've never found the need for ice in any of them. My freezers are quite capable of making ice, but I can't be annoyed to make the stuff when I wouldn't use it.