There is only ONE correct way to take your whisky...........

by **williammackinnon** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 10:40 pm

................and that is whatever way YOU enjoy it.

Whether it be without water, with water, with ice, with soda water, etc etc. Just whatever YOU prefer.

And don't let anyone tell you any different!

by **hpulley** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:19 pm

I'll have to agree to disagree on that one

Harry

by **richard** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:23 pm

i am afraid i have to disagree aswell

richard

by **williammackinnon** » Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:27 pm

I might be wrong, but is that because you only like it neat?

I personally never add water, ice or anything to whisky, not even cask strengths.

I got annoyed at Whisky Live Glasgow when every second distiller rep told me to add some water to my whisky, even after declining the first time they sometimes almost INSISTED I add water to it. :evil:

Surely the only thing that matters is that you ENJOY it, no matter what way you take it.

by **Admiral** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 12:35 am

I guess we need to distinguish between enjoying a whisky and critically assessing a whisky.

If I am exploring a whisky with the aim of taking notes and giving a score, then I may (although rarely) add water if I feel it might open up a new dimension or offer something different. But mostly, I'll assess it neat, directly out of the bottle, so that it can be judged on its raw and naked merits.

This is very different to enjoying a whisky, whereby you might simply be sitting down and relaxing with a drink in your hand. In these circumstances, do whatever you have to do to allow you to drink and enjoy the dram. (But I feel it would be inappropriate to add copious amounts of water, or ice, or cola, or whatever, and then try and make convincing comments about the quality or merits of the whisky)

I suspect presenters at tasting events strongly encourage adding water because they know it will release the bouquet a little more and open up the nose to the perceived majority of the audience who may not have the same depth of knowledge or experience as many of the contributors to these forums.

Cheers,
Admiral

by **Lawrence** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 1:08 am

William and Admiral are both correct (IMHO) and I have found that when first making an assesment of a whisky I try it first neat and then with a little water. I then make a determination from that point on about whether it needs water or not. Soda or any such additions tend to destroy any reasonable chance of making a good assesment of the dram.

I never found a hard and fast rule about adding water or not and I think that's part of the charm of single malts and whisky in general; it's a never ending voyage of discovery.

I've also observed that the "don't add water" team are really committed to not adding water!

by **SasquatchMan** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 4:41 am

Just a reminder that Jack Daniel's still tastes best from the bottle. I actually think some malts do improve with a splash of water - Bruichladdich for one.

But neat at room temperature (STP as the scientists say) is still the best bet for me most of the time.

by **brian12069** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 5:12 am

no no no...do you add water to your milk?...do you pour coke into your orange juice???...be a man son...grow some hair...drink it straight!...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

by **hpulley** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 3:34 pm

Whisky shows are an artificial environment, as are tasting parties. There, you often don't have enough time to assess a dram properly before moving on to the next one. Often a whisky needs some airing out to open up the bouquet and adding a splash of water can bring it out more quickly. That said, at the recent Toronto whisky show I was quite impressed that no one ever insisted that I add water. I asked for something and was always given it neat, but there was lots of water around if desired. Since I was at a show I tried it neat and with a bit of water, before dumping the excess.

At home I almost always take it neat, though once in a while I find a dram a bit closed and I'll add some water to see if it will liven it up. Never ice, never soda, never coke, never gingerale. As we've said elsewhere, if you must add a mixer then it isn't a good drink in the first place. Whisky products which advertise ice buckets to go with it are starting things off on the wrong foot, IMO.

Harry

by **richard** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 7:37 pm

i hope nobody thinks i dont add water i do if if i think it needs it ice kills any whisky as well as mixers but every one to there own

a local whisky pub owner was asked what was his oldest malt he said a 48 yearold glenlivet from gordon and mcphail he was asked for a double with coke he politely refused and said why not try a b ells with coke because he couldnt understand why you would ruin such a rare malt he refused to sell the glenlivet and he doesnt like whiskey

by **Aidan** » Sat Jan 01, 2005 9:01 pm

A lot of blenders, when judging their whiskies, water id down to 20% and just smell it.

I agree that you should drink it any way you like it.

by **maltcollector** » Sun Jan 02, 2005 9:45 pm

I drink most of my whisky neat, however i do add the tiniest amount of highland spring water to cask str, or even to cragganmore 12yr on occaison, i find that the smallest amount of water does open up different aspects to a whisky which can make it almost a completely different drink, almost like having a different bottle.
Anyway thats my 10pence worth :lol: