ice cubes or water in whisky revisited

[LeoDLion]

I know I know, ice cubes are a no no and perhaps a wee bit drop of water is fine to open the bouquet of the single malt. So, I pour a dram of Ardbeg Uideagail and took a sip. It was excellent but quite strong. The alcohol content is I believe more than 50%. So, I put in a couple of small ice cubes. Tasted it again. And I believe it tasted better. The added water brought the alcohol level to my liking. And I dont like sipping lukewarm whisky specially in hot Texas.

(Oh, drat, I put these in the wrong topic...moderator, please relocate if possible, many thanks.)

[les taylor]

Leo Tut Tut.

[Jan]

Well, if you like your Ardbeg with ice - whom am I to disagree?

I have experimentet with ice from time to time, but usually find that I prefer the dram neat - but then again, I live in another climate entirely.

[shoganai]

I was at a casino this past weekend, and I had a few Johnny Blacks. I always order them neat, but occasionally they bring them out on the rocks. I generally don't complain in this situation as the drinks are free and I am usually too focused on my game to really give a hoot. But it is a good way to remind myself why I don't drink scotch on the rocks anymore. Yes it's really really smooth and it goes down really really easy (actually that's probably a bad thing), but so much of the flavor is destroyed.

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Fair play LDL I have a friend like you and he really enjoys his armchair, and a slow dram with ice too .... so in the end this thing about ruining the whisky with ice is rubbish ... as it's the enjoyment you get from your dram that counts.

If you like it that way well then you have it sussed.....

[Deactivated Member]

Ice cubes are not a no-no. No one can tell you the way you enjoy your whisky is wrong.

But you're missing out.

Most of us like those tulip-shaped glasses because we can warm our dram by hand with them. We like to do this because it brings out the flavor in the whisky. There's more than a few people here who like an iced dram in hot weather, so certainly no one can argue with that. But if you want to get the most out of your dram, you'll want to try warming it up a bit. It really makes a big difference.

[Mr Fjeld]

But if you want to get the most out of your dram, you'll want to try warming it up a bit. It really makes a big difference.

I beg to differ. I don't mean to be nit-picking - and I do know it's a matter of individual taste - but I find that handwarming often disturbes the balance of the whisky. I guess there's no facit though and one should of course do whatever pleases the most.

[Frodo]

Interesting. I find that hand-warming can be extremely useful to bring out the flavours from reluctant expressions like 'fiddich 12. The smokey Islays don't need them...

[Deactivated Member]

But if you want to get the most out of your dram, you'll want to try warming it up a bit. It really makes a big difference.

I beg to differ. I don't mean to be nit-picking - and I do know it's a matter of individual taste - but I find that handwarming often disturbes the balance of the whisky. I guess there's no facit though and one should of course do whatever pleases the most.

Well, Richard Paterson will agree with you. But Murray won't, I won't either...warming improves the flavor of your dram exponentially, in my mind. I've never had a dram that didn't benefit from hand-warming. Still, it's worth knowing that not everyone adheres to what I think of as the standard orthodoxy.

[Mr Fjeld]

It's also worth thinking about the fact that whatever is in your glass will reach room temperature within a few minutes. Your handwarming could in effect bring your temperature up to the same level as my whisky considering the average room temperature in Norway is much higher than most other places I've been. Between 20-25 degrees celsius is very common. I'm afraid it's all gender related as they seem to think it's perfectly normal to turn up the heat so you can walk around in shorts and T-shirt.......

So no handwarming for me thanks!

[Elagabalus]

Gentlemen please! Let's try to remain civil.

[Mr Fjeld]

Gentlemen please! Let's try to remain civil.

Have we been anything but civil?

[killerwhale]

yes, to each his/her own.... don't worry how you drink whisky, just drink it and enjoy it.... snobs can be snobs but life is too short not to enjoy.... so enjoy!!!

ps; neat or with a touch of water will allow one to experience more flavour but if one likes a malt with ice, so be it. I like my fries without ketchup but don't tell heinz!!

[Frodo]

Gentlemen please! Let's try to remain civil.

Have we been anything but civil?

What d'I miss, what d'I miss?

[IainB]

And I dont like sipping lukewarm whisky specially in hot Texas.

In Ireland I would never ever put ice in whisky. That said, you may have a point about climate. I was in Northern Spain last year staying in a hotel with a pretty good selection on single malts, and to be honest, did take ice most evening. Being used to Irish "summers" i was finding the August heat a bit much and the ice just seemed to work. It wasn't a concious decision on my part, they bar staff just kept forgetting to leave the ice out - I guess that's the way malts are taken in Santander. Anyway, after a day or two I started asking for ice.

So like a said, it's a big no no for em at home but when in Rome.....or Spain, or Texas.

Maybe the ice cubes are different?? My other half is in texas right now. Maybe I'll ask her to bring home some ice?

[irishwhiskeychaser]

Gentlemen please! Let's try to remain civil.

Have we been anything but civil?

What d'I miss, what d'I miss?

I think it was the thought of Christian walking around his houes in shorts

[LeoDLion]

So like a said, it's a big no no for em at home but when in Rome.....or Spain, or Texas.

Maybe the ice cubes are different?? My other half is in texas right now. Maybe I'll ask her to bring home some ice?

Ha, ha, no the ice here is just like anywhere else. However I remember being in Alaska by the glacier and I saw those ice blocks floating by the river. I wish I can grab some glacier ice to put on my drink, just like in the whisky commercial. I can not imagine having a thousand year old ice in me drink.

I think in general if the malt is cask strength or over 50% alcohol, I would all the time put ice just to bring it down to around 40%. I find cask strength to be too strong for my taste. Now, if we are talking about some delicate malt or some expensive 25 yr old, I would normally not put ice.

[IainB]

Well to be honest, I don't normally use ice but water is a different matter. I usually aim to drink at around 30-35% abv and add water as necessary.
Generally bottled water at room temperature.

[Secesh]

My wife and I were out for dinner last year and I forgot to tell the waiter I wanted my scotch neat. He brought it with ice and I kept it because I figured it was my fault for not saying what I wanted. My first and only thought was... Yuk.

[Mr Fjeld]

Gentlemen please! Let's try to remain civil.

Have we been anything but civil?

What d'I miss, what d'I miss?

I think it was the thought of Christian walking around his houes in shorts

HAHA Well what can I say, it's certainly bordering on nasty but evil?

As Ian suggests ice might be the perfect solution in hotter climates. I think Bond once mentioned this was a necessity in the summer months of India. And it makes sense thinking about the temperatures there.

[Deactivated Member]

On a cold Winter's night, I like nothing more than a hand-warmed neat dram. I'll even confess to warming a glass by an open fire on occasion.

But, this Summer, in Crete, I drank Irish whiskey with loads of ice and thoroughly enjoyed it.

I don't believe that there are any rights and wrongs. No-one except me can know how I'll best enjoy a particular whisky on a particular day, no matter how famous they might be.

[LeoDLion]

...I don't believe that there are any rights and wrongs. No-one except me can know how I'll best enjoy a particular whisky on a particular day, no matter how famous they might be.

I totally agree. Last night, my first dram of Ardbeg Uigeadail, I put three little ice cubes and thoroughly enjoyed it. After that, I poured a dram and did not put anything at all. The powerful peat invaded my mouth which was already fortified by the first dram and so I did not mind the higher alcohol taste but the greater peatiness is most welcome.

[Deactivated Member]

I don't believe that there are any rights and wrongs. No-one except me can know how I'll best enjoy a particular whisky on a particular day, no matter how famous they might be.

That is certainly true. I do think it's worth taking in the opinions of such persons, and opening one's mind to various methods. Experimentation is a good thing, and should, I think, be continued, even when one thinks one has it all down. (I might even try an ice cube myself one of these days.)

I've been exposed to the little war between Richard Paterson and Jim Murray regarding handwarming, and to be quite honest, while I agree with the latter and disagree with the former, I think they are both quite arrogant about it. And that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[Muskrat Portage]

On a cold Winter's night, I like nothing more than a hand-warmed neat dram....

Ha, ha , ha , ha ,ha

a cold Winter's night

oh, you were serious? Sorry.

I've weighed in on the ice and whisky topic before, so here goes again... Personally the only way I take ice and whisky is when the ice is in the air and I'm standing outside barbequing with the dram in mitt. From personal experience, I can tell you that an Aberlour A'Bunadh just tastes that much better when the surrounding air is -30, it really does warm you up.

The downside? We're not that far away from the chilly weather again as it is September.

Muskrat

[Deactivated Member]

LDL,
you say you are adding ice to reduce the ABV as this dram is too strong for you at over 50%.
Why not just add some water to reduce the ABV as opposed to ice?

I firmly agree with those who say that ice kills many flavours in whisky, but water does open it up and release many more flavours, often making it a much more enjoyable dram.

MT