i know some condem it, and i know some say it is how you drink malts.
releases the oils or something.
but, i am sat sipping a dalwhinnie with a drop of water, and it is fantastic to be honest. kinda more flavoursome….. 😀

I’ve started doing it with odd one a tiny drop and it’s good.

Aye – I find a wee splash helps a lot – especially with Islay malts for some reason.

I love my Malts and have been known to have them neat, with a drip of water (about half as much again) or a couple of ice cubes. Different flavours, different moods, it’s all good 🙂

When we visited the Dalwhinnie distillery they told us to drink it how we liked, with or without water.
They also reckon it goes really well with Maltesers.

They ain’t wrong!

Angel’s tear 🙂

I always “touch up” my malts wi drop of water, some malts get more water than others depending on whether their cask strength or whereabouts they’re from. Lowlands generally need the least (bladnoch) and speysides don’t need much either but a laphroig or ardbeg needs a good dowsing to allow the flavours to evaporate slowly.

Drink it any way you want, you paid for it.

I do that with Rum. Neat with one ice cube or literally a few drips of water.

I went to a diagio whisky night and they suggested a sniff and sip of neat, then a drop of water to release the flavours, more sniffing followed by an Oz Clark type of discussion regarding taste, aroma, undertones and hints….then add more water to taste. Works for me.

Nothing wrong with adding a few drops of water. Some of the components that flavour the whisky are more soluble than others so adding a splash of water will alter the flavour.

Its up to you to decide which is better!

I generally use a wee splash but some like Balvenie Port Wood don’t need it

Fair point fee foo. I’ve always applied the ratio of following the % volume of water. Currently sipping 2 examples: first up is a wee dram of Bowmore Darkest at 43%. Very nice. However, it’s nudged out by a cast strength Talisker 57deg north. Its totally blown any cobwebs away that have lingered. A great way to spend my 40th! Had dramming to you all. 🙂

A drop of water is a winner in my eyes. I tell myself it eases the hangover too!!

When I was over in Islay I stopped in at ardbeg and was meant to have a tour but due to a boiler fault it was cancelled so I got took to the board room for some tastings and the lady got lots of bottles out , and lots of glasses. I tried all with and without water

Conclusion was some were better neat and some we better with a drop of water in , so i continue to keep trying them all as much as possible 😉

<Old wives tale>
You don’t get hangovers with good single malts
<old wives tale/>
(?)

mick, going to islay in september, i shall be paying a visit to a few malt breweries.

Surely, given few whiskies you buy are cask strength, they,ve all had water added before bottling anyway, makes the add water argument into an add more water argument

Good idea! I bought a bottle of this the other day.

Not single malt, or from anywhere near Scotland, but let’s have a bash anyway…

Enjoy which ever way you prefer and sod everyone else

It’s great Tony I went to bowmore, lagavulin, ardbeg and laphroaig. Ardbeg and laphroaig were really good ardbeg as they bent over backwards to look after me and my mate cos of the fault and at laphroaig we had the expensive taste tuition thing and the fella had family from Leeds recognized our accents and we just got smashed on cairdeas and prince Charlies cask lol I ended up with loads of bottles a softshell jacket and a lift back to the b and b as I was too wrecked to walk all that way lol great time was had looking to go back. We went in Feb and it was empty 😉

Ned, that’s aftershave, mate

It’s pretty good, actually!

I’m no expert, but I won’t need any encouragement to keep drinking it.

I wasn’t criticising, just reading the label.

I wasn’t criticising, just reading the label.

I just got a bottle of Tobermory 10 year old which really opens up with a bit of water.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-2928.aspx I bought it as I liked the bottle, surprisingly tasty

crawf, you took the words out of my mouth! Who says marketing doesn’t work!?

I want to go on a cycle tour of the distilleries up yon 😀

i’ve been advised by a very experienced whiskey drinking scotsman that when drinking cask strength (in a proper tasting glass, obviously) that you start with adding a small drop of water, then for each sip add the equivalent amount of water into the glass. The flavour changes as you drink more.

yet to try this out, but it sounds like a cunning plan

I also met a guy in a Dublin whiskey shop recommending specific types of bottled water to go with specific malts, possibly taking things a bit far

Some taste better with water, some dont. I often start drinking whisky neat and add tiny amounts of water until I find whatever taste I prefer.

Some taste better with water, some dont. I often start drinking whisky neat and add tiny amounts of water until I find whatever taste I prefer.

… is the correct answer.

In other news, anyone around London next month?

http://whiskyfightnight.com/

I want to go on a cycle tour of the distilleries up yon

more than welcome to make one in Jase.

wors – Member

I want to go on a cycle tour of the distilleries up yon
Jesus, that sounds like a damn good plan. 😯

Currently re-reading this:

Well worth a go for fans of whisky, Banks or both.

Just poured an Ardmore – smoother with a drop of water.
I’ll try one of each. 🙂

Sprinkled a bit in my ardbeg just now as the first sip blew my friggin head off!

mellowed it a bit, mmmm

I did a Whisky triangle tasting sesh on MTBs in the 90’s. Think it was Tamnavulin, Tomintoul and Glenlivit, but not sure. Was a bit of a hazy struggle towards the end, I recall.

Only takes a tiny amount – I always add a drop (unless I’m in a bothy / past caring)

Been to > 100 whisky tasting evenings and every expert I’ve encountered (incl a few Master Blenders)have encouraged the participants to add a very small amount of water to release the esters.

Each to their own I guess but the guy above that suggested ice – that’s considered a complete and utter no no. This just has the opposite effect – completely kills the taste / aroma.

‘Whisky and threat’ every time, unless it’s a really tasty smooth smoky one.

I always used to poopoo the idea of having water in my Whiskey, but after having three bottles of Malt given to me at Christmas I read the tasting notes that came with the bottles and experimented with adding water and even ice and I must say it did make a difference and helped the flavour developed to I am a convert.

Two in particular I remember reacting very different as ardbeg, supernova was watery tasting just just a drop of water but lovely without, but Corryv was much much nicer with a drop in

Each to their own, just remember once its in you can’t take it out 😉