Thread: A splash of water in your single malt ?

I've always drank my single malts neat, but after reading these posts, I'll try a splash of water next time I have a glass.

Cheers,

Mark

I find that just the littlest bit of good, pure water makes a world of difference in everything from the cheapest blends to the finest single-malts. Well worth trying, IMO.

Originally Posted by xman

If I'm out I order it neat with a side glass of ice and just drop the smallest cube in to melt because many bartenders don't get it.

This is my practice also. Sometimes I just drink it neat and have a soda class along side.

Originally Posted by BKratchmer

I find that just the littlest bit of good, pure water makes a world of difference in everything from the cheapest blends to the finest single-malts. Well worth trying, IMO.

Originally Posted by xman

If I'm out I order it neat with a side glass of ice and just drop the smallest cube in to melt because many bartenders don't get it.

Near my old place was a whiskey bar that had a really nice selection. When you ordered a glass they served with with a small carafe of spring water and a little bucket of ice on the side. Oh, and they make a mean Mint Julep with Blanton's. Mmmmmmmmm.

Jamiesons, Tullamore Dew, and Cardhu I drink with a splash of rain water or neat iffen it is in the middle of winter, in front of my open fire, with a pipe and a good book. Looking forward to this winter , open fires aah!!

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've read that a the proper way to appreciate a single malt scotch is to put a 'splash' of water in it. This supposedly releases the flavor of the malt. I had always drank my single malt neat but have recently started doing the splash. Just a few drops really. So I'm wondering if any of the other single malt lovers out there do the same ?

Well the fact that single malt has an alcohol prosentage of 40% or more it numbs the taste buds. So I'd recomend a little splash of of water in the glass... but don't over do it. (Some bars I've been to has that tendency and I don't recomend it.)

Originally Posted by NewShaver

Well the fact that single malt has an alcohol prosentage of 40% or more it numbs the taste buds. So I'd recomend a little splash of of water in the glass... but don't over do it. (Some bars I've been to has that tendency and I don't recomend it.)

When I do order whisky at a bar, I usually ask the water in separate glass so I can mix it to my liking. You can also specify the amount of ice cubes.

All Single Malts I have neat, and with blends like JW Black I have them with ice...

The one and only Scotch whisky tasting I went to was put on by a college chemistry professor who happened to be from Scotland and had visited most of the distilleries over the years.

He went through all the steps of producing Scotch whisky and pointed out that a goodly number of them were there to reduce the water content. He also pointed out that other than "cask strength" bottles the whisky was eventually watered down before distribution anyway, mostly to meet some arbitrary percentages. If I remember what he said, this was partly done to get certain tax incentives (or avoid tax penalties, depending on your point of view).

So his advice was that it was unreasonable to add a splash of water to something that was already watered down anyway, perhaps even past its ideal. He pointed out that at least the water used by the distillery was the same water the stuff was made from in the first place and that tap water would be a crime against nature.

This gent turned me on to Islay whiskys and I am happier for that! I drink it neat.

Same - I add a few drops of water. When I am at a bar, I prefer to do it myself, as the bartender tends to add too much.