with or without ice?

John_Nguyen · April 2 2017 at 8:00AM

So I have just gotten into whiskey, havent even bought a bottle yet and was wondering if any of you drink 100-150usd bottle with ice? Don't want to always drink it just purely for taste.

[Deleted User] · April 2 2017 at 12:39PM

John_Nguyen said:

So I have just gotten into whiskey, havent even bought a bottle yet and was wondering if any of you drink 100-150usd bottle with ice? Don't want to always drink it just purely for taste.

If you add ice, you will miss some of the flavor nuances that a good single malt will provide, so I would recommend that you try a good blended scotch over ice. Most blends are designed to be at their best over ice or with a mixer.

That being said, if you want to drink a 100-150 usd bottle of single malt over ice, then go for it. If you decide that is how you like it best, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

bedlamborn · April 2 2017 at 2:37PM

@John_Nguyen

I would never drink a good whisky with ice as the ice lessens the taste. But it is up to you what you find the best. If it is good for you that is the right way.

kroman · April 3 2017 at 12:13PM

John_Nguyen said:

Don't want to always drink it just purely for taste.

If that's the case, it might be best you save your better whisky for appreciating whisky, and buy more affordable whisky for your more normal everyday drink. If you want to have a whisky with ice, I would recommend Johnnie Walker Black, Glenmorangie Original, Talisker 10, or even Balvenie 12 doublewood.

Personally, I wouldn't add ice to a bottle that expensive. But if that's the way you like it, then cool! It's your hard-earned money, and you should even enjoy Johnnie Walker Blue Jello shots (https://scotchwhisky.com/magazine/from-our-correspondent/9805/a-little-whisky-blasphemy/) if that's what you like. Like other members stated before, NO ONE should tell you what to do with your whisky.

However, keep in mind that there might be someone out there who really wants to taste and appreciate that $150 bottle of whisky; some of these bottle can be hard to find. If you're buying it and just drinking it with a bunch of ice, then you're possibly depriving someone from savoring the liquid the way it's intended to be had.

hwchoy · April 4 2017 at 12:59AM

for just drinking with ice, I'd go with a ron Zacapa Centenario 23 :biggrin:

horst_s_2 · April 4 2017 at 9:53AM

Ice is cooling the whisky and hinders the aromas to rise from the glass. Ice is a complete NoGo for me.

SanctTom · April 5 2017 at 4:58AM

If you just want to cool down your whisky (in summer), just frost your glass and pour the whisky afterwards - refreshing without watering down the liquid gold!

[Deleted User] · April 7 2017 at 1:05AM

@John_Nguyen

I never add ice to whisk(e)y. If I want something cold, I mix a cocktail instead.

The Manhattan (rye whiskey based), Rob Roy (Scotch whisky based), and Emerald (Irish whiskey based) all use the same formula. I prefer a ratio of 5:2 (whisk(e)y to vermouth) when making those drinks. Also, I use mid-grade spirits because the fancier ones will have their nuances diluted away.

If you are determined to do yard work, automotive maintenance, plumbing repair, etc. in your most expensive, custom-tailored suit, be my guest -- but you won't be getting an endorsement from me. :lol:

Furinkazan · April 9 2017 at 8:13AM

@John_Nguyen

Personally I have a pretty simple guideline that I always follow, of course there are exceptions to it, but generally speaking I've always done it this way. First I'll pour a little from the bottle and drink it neat. I call this the 'first impression' and normally right from the get go I can decide whether to add ice or not. But I also follow my system below:

Blended whisky, bourbon or anything thats been aged for less than 10 years can be had with ice or diluted with a teaspoon or two of chilled spring water. I've always considered bourbon and young whiskies, especially blended, to be too aggressive both on the nose and on the palate. In my opinion, anything below a 10 year maturation period is too short of a time for the casks to absorb the sting of the ethanol and replace it with the full bodied flavour of the oaks.

Single malts, cognacs and anything matured for more than 10 years (15, 18, 30 yrs etc.) should be had neat without ice. In my opinion, while older whiskies have bolder flavours, I believe that the taste and aroma also becomes more sensitive; so adding water or ice could completely shatter the character of the whisky.

Hope this helps :smile:

[Deleted User] · April 9 2017 at 11:42PM

Furinkazan said:

Blended whisky, bourbon or anything thats been aged for less than 10 years can be had with ice or diluted with a teaspoon or two of chilled spring water. I've always considered bourbon and young whiskies, especially blended, to be too aggressive both on the nose and on the palate. In my opinion, anything below a 10 year maturation period is too short of a time for the casks to absorb the sting of the ethanol and replace it with the full bodied flavour of the oaks.

The maturation rates for Scotch and bourbon are not comparable because the climates of the two regions are so different. While ten years might arguably be the minimum age for a quality Scotch, great bourbon (and rye) can be fully matured at a much younger age. Moreover, due to the extreme temperature variations inherent with Kentucky's seasons, leaving distillate in a barrel for over a decade can lead to an overly matured spirit whose flavor profile is too oak forward. In fact, some premium bourbons and ryes are aged no longer than six years. Most bourbon enthusiasts drink those whiskeys neat yet don't consider them to be harsh or lacking in flavor.

Furinkazan · April 10 2017 at 5:17AM

to_e_or_not_to_e said:

Furinkazan said:

Blended whisky, bourbon or anything thats been aged for less than 10 years can be had with ice or diluted with a teaspoon or two of chilled spring water. I've always considered bourbon and young whiskies, especially blended, to be too aggressive both on the nose and on the palate. In my opinion, anything below a 10 year maturation period is too short of a time for the casks to absorb the sting of the ethanol and replace it with the full bodied flavour of the oaks.

The maturation rates for Scotch and bourbon are not comparable because the climates of the two regions are so different. While ten years might arguably be the minimum age for a quality Scotch, great bourbon (and rye) can be fully matured at a much younger age. Moreover, due to the extreme temperature variations inherent with Kentucky's seasons, leaving distillate in a barrel for over a decade can lead to an overly matured spirit whose flavor profile is too oak forward. In fact, some premium bourbons and ryes are aged no longer than six years. Most bourbon enthusiasts drink those whiskeys neat yet don't consider them to be harsh or lacking in flavor.

I agree completely. But I follow this rule because I'm really not a huge fan of bourbon, it always strikes me as too aggressive on the palate and Lord above have mercy on the people who created the honey, maple and cinnamon flavoured Bourbons. Those should just not exist. So I normally just drink it with ice unless it makes a very good 'first impression' then I'd drink it neat.