How do u take your scotch and why

[JohnnyC]

  On 10/13/2011 at 6:01 PM, Ryan said:

Big fan here of both Rebreast and Green Spot. It's a shame Green Spot isn't more widely available but it is quite limited, I think 500 cases a year still.

If you like pure pot stills like those, there are a few more being sold again. There's a new Powers "John's Lane", that's nice. I've always been a big Powers fan though there is less pot still in the regular stuff now than there used to be.

"Writers Tears" is another, good whiskey. Jim Murray rated that quite well too. Though he does have a bit of a thing for pure pot still. Fine with me.

Sorry for the thread jack..

I have had a chance to sample the Redbreast but not the Green Spot. Living in Ontario Canada the Liquor Control Board limits the products that are available. But heaven forbid if I cross the border into the USA and try to bring a bottle of alcohol ( that I cannot purchase at home ) back. They wpould lock me up and throw away the key.

Has anyone tried Middleton ? I have read a few reviews and I heard good things about.

P.S. I always drink my Scotch neat. In fact I use a special Whisky glass to enhance the experience.

[Plato]

Muahahaha us Irish Whiskey lovers have hi-jacked the thread!

[Lotusguy]

Neat, unless it is cask strength in which case I add some bottled water.

[Rushman]

Single malt always neat and sometimes with a small glass of water in case it needs a few drops to help open up the flavor. If I am on an airplane and am stuck with dewars for instance, one cube of ice, one cube only vasily

[thechenman]

Single-Malt or Blended, I take my scotch intravenously. ..

[scinmyheart]

I'll have my scotch in somebody else's glass

[Styler]

I'm quite surprised at the number of people who add water. Even with cask strength whisky I don't find it needs it, it helps to leave the whisky in the glass for a half hour before drinking sometimes and opening your mouth with your head tilted back can let some of the alcohol evaporate. One really important thing is to let it warm in your hand over time, this really helps to open up the whisky without the need for water.

The golden rule though has to be that no one is right, never let anyone tell you that there is one 'proper' way to drink whisky. Even the most educated distillers and connoisseurs disagree on the matter.

As for whiskey, I'm not going to slam it. Some, like the Red Breast, are very smooth but they all lack in complexity compared to whisky in my opinion.

[Ghabanos]

  On 10/14/2011 at 1:35 PM, Styler said:

I'm quite surprised at the number of people who add water. Even with cask strength whisky I don't find it needs it, it helps to leave the whisky in the glass for a half hour before drinking sometimes and opening your mouth with your head tilted back can let some of the alcohol evaporate. One really important thing is to let it warm in your hand over time, this really helps to open up the whisky without the need for water.

The golden rule though has to be that no one is right, never let anyone tell you that there is one 'proper' way to drink whisky. Even the most educated distillers and connoisseurs disagree on the matter.

As for whiskey, I'm not going to slam it. Some, like the Red Breast, are very smooth but they all lack in complexity compared to whisky in my opinion.

stupid question:

whats the diff between whiskey and whisky?

[edlye]

It all boils down to personal preference and developing one's own preferred whisky habit. Part of that journey includes tasting your favorite whisky with and without water and using other prescribed or described methods, conventional or unorthodox. But the end result is always the same - to find a flavor bliss in the fine spirit that you've just tasted.

[ckearns]

I'll have the first few sips neat and then adjust with a drop or two of water depending on how my palate is reacting to the spirit.

[JohnnyC]

  On 10/14/2011 at 1:53 PM, Ghabanos said:

stupid question:

whats the diff between whiskey and whisky?

Whiskey being the North American word used and Whisky is the term used in European Countries

[Styler]

  On 10/14/2011 at 3:01 PM, JohnnyC said:

Whiskey being the North American word used and Whisky is the term used in European Countries

Actually whisky is from Scotland whiskey is from Ireland. Americans adopted the irish spelling.

[ckearns]

  On 10/14/2011 at 3:01 PM, JohnnyC said:

Whiskey being the North American word used and Whisky is the term used in European Countries

In terms of Irish whiskey, it was once spelled without the 'e'. The 'e' was added as a way to differentiate Irish from Scottish whisky because Scottish whisky had a terrible reputation at that point in time.

[LeafLover]

I always drink it neat. The only time I add anything to my single malt is when I would add a drop of water into it to cut it a tad and only to an Aberlour A'budnach as it has a hefty amount of alcohol to it.

I either drink it from a shot glass or a malt glass (with a smaller cirumference at the top than the body of the glass). That way I can nose the malt with each pull. Meaning, have a good inhale of just the aroma of the single malt along when I take a sip.

I'm in no way a scotch connoisseur, but that how I does it.

[LeafLover]

Oh, and I always have a small glass of chilled water along with my scotch to refresh my pallet. Just as I eat slivers of ginger between different types of sushi when eating at a sushi bar.

[ZinZan]

I use the ice ball, i know its sacrilegious but i cant help it the weather where i come from its too warm to drink it neat but with 18 years and above i drink it neat with a glass of iced water on the side. The ice ball does help to minimmise the dilution. I too have special glass, the glencairn glass for nosing and tasting.

[MrGlass]

If it's cheap, with Coke or Ginger Ale. If it's not, neat.

That being said I've found, for me at least, that the bottle needs a week or two to mellow out after being opened before I can really enjoy it.

Really have to try this whole single drop of water thing that everybody keeps talking about.

[ronin]

Always with one ice cube only.

[jjdolphin]

Good scotch neat.

Not so good, with some ice, 2 to 3 cubes. I never put it in another drink. That is why God made rum.

There are some like Blue Label where you should take 3 sips of freezing water to cool your pallet, then follow it with the scotch. I am a simple man...I just sip.