two whisky questions

Does this answer your questions?

Marjon

On Tue, 19 Apr 2005 16:22:31 -0700, the alleged William Anderson, may have posted the following, to alt.drinks.scotch-whisky:

Because you can refill a wee dram, but pouring back into the bottle that portion of the "big, healthy half glass" will contaminate the rest of the bottle!

I think that that's a bit overstated, but when I do add water it is usually to bring down a cask-strength whisk[e]y to a more drinkable strength. A case in point is the last bottle of Booker's that I came into possession of, it is 126 (US) proof (63% ABV), that's a bit more than I like to drink neat, so I add somewhat less than half as much water to bring it down to a level that I enjoy.

Adding just a bit of (filtered|spring|branch) water does help to open up the nose of the whisk[e]y in most cases and will help by adding another factor to be taken into account when compiling tasting notes.

In my personal experience adding a few drops of water to a dram helps more whisk[e]ies than it hurts.

I prefer room temperature, except when I'm tasting one that I've not had before. In that case just a bit above room temperature (I've usually got just about a half-ounce in a thin-walled, crystal Scotch glass (a Riedel Vinum copy), warmed and swirled in the palm of my hand for about thirty seconds. Nose, taste, nose again and then drink.

A friend's favorite drink is a large dram of a chilled light-bodied blended Scotch, poured over ice into a chilled and thick walled, double old-fashioned glass nearly filled with branch water, a splash of soda and a twist of lemon. It's not as bad as it sounds, really!

It all comes down to personal preferences. Sample your favo[u]rite whisk[e]ies at various temperatures and decide for yourself. In general colder = less taste and nose, warmer = more taste and nose. Even though I usually like my Scotch at room temperature a tall, weak and light bodied Scotch and soda is hard to beat after mowing the lawn (though an ice-cold US mega-swill beer and a Meyer's Dark Rum and (US)lemonade will be right up there in their refreshing qualities. (I almost hesitate to add that a Meyer's Dark Rum and Dr. Pepper is also on that list). :-)

Regards, Rob

???

Let's not get carried away here. :-)

cheers,

Henry

I thought I knew a thing or two about whisky till I read the comments of people on this group. However, I think most of them will tell you that however you enjoy it is the right way for you.

I live in an area where the tap water has a chemical edge (from all the processing) but that seems to go when it has been poured a while and I find it just fine for an average tipple. I find that with most normal strength whiskies (40 - 45 ABV), a dash of water has a softening and opening effect that I really enjoy at first. Then, when my mouth's getting used to the spirit I can enjoy it with or without.

Some whiskies you can get away with quite a bit of water, some I find that more than about 3 drops just drowns it.

Basically, find a whisky you like and try it different ways and see which you enjoy the most, then don't worry about what anyone else says. Whisky is the water of life - but it's your life.

I have a water softener on our supply. Consequently, I use a reverse-osmosis filter with several stages of filtration and polishing and activated charcoal for drinking water (gets rid of high sodium content from the softener and takes out a bunch of other things that don't taste too good).

What I usually do, if/when I add water to my whisk(e)y (single malt scotch, bourbon, whatever) is to rinse the glass with the water and shake the water out. Whatever drops remain have done the trick for me. I must confess that I also will drink cask-strength whiskies at full strength too.

Just my 2 cents,