What is the Proper way to Drink Scotch

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Single malts with a wee bit o' spring water. My scotch and soda: Grant's or Famous Grouse, usually, over 2 or 3 ice cubes with a hearty splash of soda from my siphon. I also have a "whisky and soda" with no ice, using colder soda water from a chilled siphon. When traveling in England and Scotland (I have family in England), I've found that most pubs/bars will bring your whisky neat with water or soda on the side (ice cubes if requested!). Most pubs/bars have water flasks on the bar itself for you to "fix" your whisky as you wish!! FTRPLT
 
I treat it similar to absinthe when I indulge once in a while. I drop just a smidge of cold water into it to release a little more aroma and flavor. Sometimes I like it on ice though. It really does depend on your personal taste and preferance. :bounce:
 
Pleath ferguv me fer um posthin htis bbut i lik to guzle it llllllike im dong tonit ahhhhhhhhh I kant tipe on hte keebored!
 
I drink it three ways, depending on my mood and the company. Either room temperature in a glass, in a glass with a small amount of cool (not cold) water in, or with a few small ice cubes. It's preference. As long as it's not being made into stupid drinks (a few mixeds are fine), drank from the bottle or done with shots, I find it acceptable.
 
Usually neat or a tiny splash of water. On a hot day I sub a single ice cube for the water. My "vice closet" stays pretty cool year round so the liquor is never even room temperature.
 
I'm 'generally' an on-the-rock guy. I keep it in a room temp cabinet (no direct sun) and just add one ice cube. A little chill, a little water, usually does the trick for me, just opens it up and smooths it out. For cask strengths its pretty much necessary.

As for Mr. Linderman and his absinthe, a drop of water? Shoot, I usually do at least a 2:1 if not 3:1 water:absinthe mix.
 
The best way to bring the flavor out is by adding a bit of water, so that is what you do when you're tasting and analyzing a malt. I do that occasionally, but when I just want to relax with a nice whisky I often have it neat. I always have some water on the side, though. Here is a nice video about water in whisky. Check his other videos as well, they are quite entertaining and informational.

Adding ice to whisky is fine. However, the cold temperature breaks down the molecular structure of the drink and ice also cools your taste buds so you're not able to taste as well. This is why people tend to put a lot of ice in cheap liquor. Some people frown on putting ice in a good malt, but if that is how you like it that is your choice. I never put ice in a malt I enjoy, because for me it is all about the tasting experience.

Room temperature is the same story as with ice. Cooling numbs the whisky down. However, you shouldn't care too much about the rules and regulations of whisky snobs. It is great to experiment and so what if your own preferences differ. It is your glass and your money that paid for it.

P.S. I dislike it when people say there is only one proper way to do X. It is like people saying you're "not allowed" to light a cigar with a lighter and should always use a match, or even a piece of cedar wood.
 
I used to drink single malt neat then I read a flier that was included in a bottle of Balvenie which recommended adding a few drops of water or an ice cube to release the flavor so that is how I've been drinking it the past several years. I enjoy blended Scotch on the rocks.
 
Tennessee Dave":eihf7qxk said:
The proper way is the way you like it. :!:
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Ditto.

Personally, I like my single malts straight. (If they have cask strength, I sometimes add a few drops of water.)

I wouldn’t spend my money on blended scotch though – I’d rather have less and save it all for the good single malts. 8)
 
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