Dillution Method Preferences

[DiG3430]

I know it's sacrilege to many, but I'm curious as to how you fellows prefer to dilute your whiskeys. Ice? If so, how much? Cubes, spheres, shaved? Or water? If so, how much and what kind? A little from the tap? Distilled? Nothing but melted snow from the Scottish Highlands? Do you have different preferences depending on the whisk(e)y?

I'm mostly curious because I was recently gifted a bottle of Knob Creek Small Batch, and the first sip nearly set me on fire. You can really feel the full 120 proof of it. I threw in a splash of water from my Brita to settle it down, but worried that I may be losing some of the bourbon's character by doing so.

 

[Heespharm]

I usually drink whiskey on the rocks maybe 3-4 cubes... Some say water helps the favors open up... At a local whiskey, scotch bar, cigar bar that's really classy, they serve the whiskey with a ice, glass, and water separate then you mix it yourself...

 

[arghblech]

I use bottled spring water when I need to lower the proof. My EH Taylor Barrel Proof is 135ish proof and I feel it needs a touch of water to come around flavor-wise.

 

[The Knize]

Lately I have been buying ice made from spring water from Maine at the grocery store, and I probably usually, but not always, drink whisky/whiskey with a bit of ice. Usually not a lot of ice. But I make margaritas with expensive tequila and Cointreau, too. I guess I generally like my beverages cold and not palate burning, but tasting really good.

But if I am seriously "tasting" a whisky, either because I was really trying to evaluate it or because it was something truly special and rare, I would likely start with it absolutely neat, and then try it first with a few drops of filtered water, such as Brita, and then likely with up to a "splash" of water.

I do not think that whiskies much over 100 proof are really intended to be consumed absolutely straight. If it is burning your tongue, you are probably losing some flavor nuances that you will gain back by the addition of water.

I would say that what I do with Scotch and bourbon are roughly the same. I would say that, for some reason, I invariably drink Irish whiskey over ice, unless I am having it as a shot, a rare thing indeed, these days.

Interesting when you think about it, though. It is not like I ever put ice or water in Cognac or Armagnac.

 

[MaritimeFanatic]

Whiskey - particularly Scotch - actually requires some dilution to fully appreciate all the flavors held within. The high alcohol content burns off a lot of the taste if one doesn't use some water to open it up. Ice is an American thing, so I am told by my English friends, since it drops the temperature and kills the "bouquet." I guess I can see that, but I am a heathen from the States, so I drink my Bourbon with ice. .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewoz4Xroabw

Also check out Richard Paterson. He's a hoot - and the blender for the Dalmore.......

 

[Matt S]

I put a couple cubes in with both.

I've heard the same as what Maritime said though. My parents neighbor owned a liquor store, and took his scotch seriously. He said to just add spring water to open it up. When I drank with him once he suggested just a capful from the bottle of water.

 

[Hkspwrsche]

A few drops of water in my scotch. No ice unless it is the cheapest rail scotch at someplace that doesn't have anything good. Ice is for a bad scotch like A-1 is for a bad steak. Don't normally get either.

 

[Kazeryu]

I disagree with the "not meant to be drunk straight if it's over X proof" comment. Drinking higher proofs requires a bit of practice/technique - if it burns you with alcohol, you have only yourself to blame IMO. In the same way that a beer-drinker has to learn a different approach when drinking scotch, a scotch-drinker must learn again when approaching cask-strength bottlings or other high-proof drinks.

As for the water/ice question - I drink pretty much everything neat, although on rare occasions or if the whiskey is a bit rough I may add a touch of water or a small chip of ice (small enough to melt within a minute or three).

 

[atison]

I tried a really good high end bourbon last week that was in the 120 proof range and, as I always do when trying something, had it neat first. Loved the flavor intensity but it did have a tad burn to it although surprisingly smooth. So I added a dash of filtered water in the hopes of opening it up a little more. It did the opposite as the flavors were muted after adding the water. Wished I hadn't done it.

I think to add or not is personal and very dependant on the bottle as well and has nothing to do with the proof. Some bottles I add a dash. Some I don't. Some I drink on ice (rye's come to mind here). Some bottles I find a way I like it and I stick with it. Other's I like different ways depending on my mood.

Another thing I have noticed is I add less water the farther into the bottle I get. Not sure if I am warming up to all the flavors as I go through a bottle or if there is a change in the character with the oxygen that it is getting exposed to. I have found that most of my whiskey/whisky changes as the bottle gets lower.

 

[DiG3430]

Another thing I have noticed is I add less water the farther into the bottle I get. Not sure if I am warming up to all the flavors as I go through a bottle or if there is a change in the character with the oxygen that it is getting exposed to. I have found that most of my whiskey/whisky changes as the bottle gets lower.

I've noticed this too. Just recently I finished a bottle of Laphroaig Quarter Cask. The first tasting felt like an atom bomb hitting my palate, and I needed some water to tone it down to a mere clusterbombing. By the end of the bottle, I was savoring every neat sip.

 

[Doc4]

Just a touch of room-temperature water added to the better whisk(e)ys.

Ice only if it's cheap stuff that needs the edges dulled down.

 

[ByMyBeard]

I think it depends on the whiskey. When I tried my first sip of Eagle Rare, I tried it neat. It was a bit harsh, and I added ice to it. It then tasted like dirt. I've found just letting it "air out" a bit opens up the taste to me. I imagine this must be why some note that they need to add water early in a bottle, but sip it neat by the end. The bottle has had a chance to air out a bit. Just my .02.

I've heard Scotch is to be savored with a little water/ice. I try to drink my bourbons neat, and only add ice/water if the flavor doesn't agree with me.

 

[Doc4]

Bit of a funny guy, but I like his attitude to ice at the end ...

 

[bdhershey]

I'm sipping a glass of Knob Creek right now. Two maybe three ice cubes and a tiny splash of water. Very nice.

 

[DiG3430]

Bit of a funny guy, but I like his attitude to ice at the end ...

That was great!

 

[grumpybear]

Depends on what it is or where I am. A classy place I'll order bourbon on the rocks, if I'm just hanging out with friends bourbon and coke, if I'm trying to get drunk straight shots.

 

[Anex]

I prefer my whiskey neat. For cask strength offerings or when the alcohol on the nose is too high, I add some mineral water using a straw. Only a few drops of water can completely open up and change a whiskey.

 

[August West]

Depends on what it is or where I am. A classy place I'll order bourbon on the rocks, if I'm just hanging out with friends bourbon and coke, if I'm trying to get drunk straight shots.

Drink for effect, over.

 

[buffdaddy]

Yeah, I'll usually put a bit of Spring water in my Scotch to open up the flavor. For Bourbon a couple of ice cubes is fine as well. But there isn't really a rule of thumb, go with with what you like. Ice, water or neat, just enjoy!

 

[reverseapachemaster]

I prefer the flavor and texture of scotch neat. I find water harms the mouthfeel and often dulls the flavor far more than it helps uncover more flavors.

Never ice unless it is swill. Then I'd ask why I'm drinking swill in the first place.