Scotch Neat?

Neat means the whisky in a glass, no ice and nothing added to it.

IMHO, drinking any fine whisky any other way than neat or perhaps with a splash of water is a waste. After all, you do want to taste it, don't you?

Jim

Thank you for the "neat" description. I agree to drink straight, but I do like a splash of soda every once in a while. Either that or ginger ale.

When sipping a single malt? Straight is the way to go.

Thanks again!

To the original poster, as a response to the above, I will add that

99.9% of this newsgroup would agree with the above. GOOD Scotch is best neat.

Also, if you are "just getting started" with Scotch, there is a lot to learn. This is an extremely knowledgeable group of people, who is happy to share its knowledge with anyone who asks. This is not a pretentious group, although it may seem that way; rather, I think that enthusiasts generally agree on what is good, because it IS good.

Here are a few general things about scotch that may help you:

1) Scotch BLENDS (such as Johnnie Walker, Chivas, and others) are much different than Scotch SINGLE MALTS. Most enthusiasts prefer single malts, because of their unique and extraordinary characteristics. However, 95% of the market is blends, and most of that 95% is not interested in "pondering" their booze. If you are interested enough to post here, you may have what it takes! 2) Most people who drink whisky to "taste" prefer it without additives, and some people like a drop or two (literally) of water, which is said to bring out the aroma of the whisky. Some purists argue this claim. 3) Whisky tasting is a lot like wine tasting, but a little easier to understand, because there are fewer types of whisky than wine. Like wine, price does not always match quality, and certainly fame does not equal quality. However, you sort of get what you pay for. With a few exceptions, the good stuff costs around $35 USD and up per bottle ($50 is a rough average), but you can get drinkable stuff (blends) for around $20. Johnnie Walker Red, and comparable products, are not meant to be "savored" or "tasted"--these are made for mixing with soda to get smashed. 4) Unless your initials are MJ or JM, whisky is fun, not science. If you like what you've had thus far, read on, drink up, and start saving your pennies.

Best of Luck, John

Neat and strait all the way. I don't even like adding a drop of water. And never ice. And there's nothing like the feeling you get when you walk out of a store with an expensive bottle of scotch, one thats been sitting in a cask for 12 or more years. And writing this has just put me in the mood for a dram of my favorite single malt - Highland Park 12. Maybe I'll have a dram in honor of Lance Armstrong.

Lance is a self-professed beer appreciator...but if you, like I, got up at 4:30 everyday to watch the Tour, or if you (assuming you are a cyclist) upped your training significantly (17.5 hours for me this week), you may deserve a toast for yourself!

John

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com (J Derby) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@posting.google.com:

Ah, my three favorite subjects, whisky, beer, and bicycling! I celebrated Lance's victory with a 35-mile ride on my recumbent bike, had lunch at a brewpub (Moylans in Novato Calif) and toasted him with a dram of

13-year old Signatory Highland Park while watching the podium ceremony later last evening.

Charlie:

Very cool! Sounds like alot of fun. So... Your Highland Park addiction is flourishing! Good...

Joe